President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed how a group of Lango elders and opinion leaders harassed him to allow Health Minister Ruth Jane Aceng represent Lira District in Parliament.
Museveni while addressing the nation on Tuesday on COVID-19 related matters took time off to hugely praise Minister Aceng for her exceptional and dedicated efforts she displayed in combating a global pandemic Coronavirus.
As of today, 1065 cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Uganda and 1072 have healed with zero deaths, thanks to Aceng and her team of experts at Ministry of Health.
Against that backdrop, Museveni explained how he sourced Aceng and why he would later allow her join politics to vie for Lira Woman MP come 2021.
The soft spoken, hands-on but tough Minister a few weeks ago launched her political bid.
But Museveni said, he was convinced by Lango people who demanded that since Aceng is a performer she should join Parliament and influence many decisions for their region.
The President therefore said Aceng had his blessings and went ahead to defend her when Ugandans accused the Minister of flouting COVID-19 guidelines.
Museveni many times described Aceng as “good scientist” whom he most times consults before taking action particularly on easing the 4 months lockdown.
“One time I had gone to Lira in the days when we were fighting the terrorists and I found there a young lady hardworking, very dedicated, I noted her and then later alone I brought her because I could see that she was committed. I brought her to the ministry I said you come and bring the devotion I saw in Lira and she worked as Director General of Medical Services until when I appointed her a minister,” Museveni said.
He added: “before that she had told me that she wanted to go and stand in Lira, I said no don’t because you don’t need to stand, your constituency is Nakasero. You do your work your constituency is here. That’s when we were in Togo in January. So I thought I had convinced her to leave these Langis alone and concetrate on the medical work at the Ministry.”
Commenting on Aceng’s picture in which she addressed crowds without putting on a mask, Museveni sarcastically said:
“I don’t think she’s the one who said you come and we have a rally, the problem was to put herself in a situation where these people would converge.”
