Nobody is safe, says Ugandan Parliament speaker

Ms Kadaga broke her silence in a brief remark on the safety of political leaders following reports that a suspected letter-bomb mailed to her went off, seriously injuring a staff assigned to her office:

 “All leaders in this country are targets,” the Speaker of Parliament Ms Rebecca Kadaga has warned.

Ms Kadaga broke her silence in a brief remark on the safety of political leaders following reports that a suspected letter-bomb mailed to her went off, seriously injuring a staff assigned to her office.

“I have been out of the country in New Zealand and the matter is under investigation. You wait for the Police report,” Ms Kadaga said, after incessant probing by journalists on the matter.

About two weeks ago, Mr Herman Kaboggoza, one of her aides is said to have opened a letter that exploded in his face and he was rushed to Mulago Hospital where he received treatment. At that time, the Speaker was out of the country to attend international conferences in New Zealand.

When asked about her safety, Ms Kadaga remained tight-lipped on any possible leads or suspects behind the incident. This incident also comes hot on the heels of new reports that three months ago, unidentified pellets, later proven to be toxic, were left on Ms Kadaga’s eating tray. However, Ms Kadaga’s security detail has remained unchanged, with Mr Moses Bwalatum, the acting Parliament Public Relations Manager, confirming that there has not been any communication to the effect that her security has been beefed up.

“As a public figure, the Speaker has adequate security to protect her. Given the sensitivity of the recent incident, I am not aware of any changes but she is protected heavily by security,” Bwalatum said.

However, the Uganda Media Centre boss, Mr Ofwono Opondo, dismissed the letter bomb incident as “trash” and a mere cheap politicking.

He questioned the circumstances under which the purported letter bomb passed through the hands of security to get to the Speaker’s office.

Even though the Police spokesperson, Ms Judith Nabakooba, denied that anything has recently occurred to place Ms Kadaga’s life in danger, the Speaker affirmed that an investigation is currently ongoing at Police to trace the source of the letter.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Kaboggoza on his current condition were futile as he did not pick his calls.

By Olive Eyotaru, The Citizen Correspondent

Source @The Citizen