Museveni defends Aceng on Lira incident; reveals Langi petitioned him to allow her contest despite his advice

President Yoweri Museveni has defended Dr Jane Ruth Aceng on the the recent Lira incident, further revealing that the Langi wrote to him asking him to allow the health minister to stand for Lira District Woman MP seat.

The incident earned Minister Aceng criticism after videos and photos of her engaging locals without observing social distance and with no face masks on appeared online.

In a statement on the incident, she said people were excited to see ‘Mama Corona’ and become uncontrollable.

Main opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye called Aceng’s explanation “pathetic” while singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine told Aceng Ugandans are not goats.

Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda called for Aceng’s resignation. Police had blocked Ssemujju’s Kasokoso meeting on the day Aceng held her procession.

The minister denied any wrongdoing, but admitted she had learnt a big political lesson.

MUSEVENI DEFENDS ACENG

But at the end of his July 21 Coronavirus address delivered at State House Nakasero in Kampala, Museveni defended Aceng, calling her a “good scientist” and “not a hypocrite.”

The President said he believed Aceng had not planned for a rally but had put herself in a situation where people would overwhelm her.

“Our minister Jane Aceng got into some problems in Lira. The Langi people took her into a procession. I watched the video,” said Museveni.

“I don’t think she asked them to come and have a rally. The problem was she put herself in a situation where people gathered in a crowd.”

Museveni advised leaders to avoid making stops since people can gather around them.

But Museveni didn’t comment on the recent case in which justice and constitutional affairs minister Prof Ephraim Kamuntu met campaign agents in a church and held a rally.

The president also revealed that Aceng has asked his advice on whether she should join politics.

She had broached the matter when the duo was in Togo in January 2020.

Museveni had advised her to stay in the medical field, and that Nakasero (where the Ministry of Health, and State House are located) was her constituency.

But Museveni told Ugandans that he was surprised to receive a letter from the People of Lango petitioning him to allow their “daughter” to contest.