Ugandan storms tax meeting, grabs microphone in protest
Friday September 07 2018
A woman on Friday disrupted a meeting in Kampala attended by experts and senior Ugandan government officials including deputy finance minister.
In a video, shared widely on social media, the woman identified as Nalongo Nana, a businesswoman in the capital stormed into the hotel, grabbed a microphone and berated the attendees discussing the country's tax policy.
She said she was especially infuriated after Fred Bamwine, the resident district commissioner of Mukono and a representative of President Yoweri Museveni at the meeting, said in a live broadcast that leaders were supposed to be taken care of by the citizens and not the other way round.
“Do you people think that we have no feelings. Are we not human beings?” she posed.
“I came here after watching somebody who is a leader saying that we are supposed to take care of them. So who will take care of us?”
Ms Nana addressed the room for 7-10 minutes before handing back the microphone and leaving the room.
State Finance Minister Mr David Bahati, the chief guest at the meeting, later apologised on behalf of Mr Bamwine saying his remarks were insensitive and inappropriate.
“He should withdraw that statement because that is not how it is supposed to be. Leaders are supposed to serve and not the other way round,” Mr Bahati said.
Many people approved of a tweet praising Ms Nana's antics as depicting growing courage among Ugandans to confront state officials.
Norway
In a similar move, some Ugandans living in Norway lambasted their Trade minister who was addressing a Nordic-Uganda business forum in Oslo on Tuesday.
The two men, one after another, in videos shared online, are recorded grabbing the microphone and accusing Ms Amelia Kyambadde and Mr Museveni's government of corruption.
“These people are just there to lure you Europeans to bring money to Africa but they are the ones getting the money. They are very very rich. She is rich!” one man said.
“Museveni destroyed cooperatives in Uganda,” said the other.
Ms Kyambadde denied the accusations saying she is “one of the people with the cleanest record.”