Alaso gets cozy with Nandala

Despite falling out in 2012 during the campaigns for the FDC presidency, the two MPs can afford to share jokes and smiles during PAC meetings of late.
Budadiri West MP Nandala Mafabi and Serere Woman MP Alice Alaso seem to be gradually mending fences.
Last week, during a grilling of Defence ministry officials over suspect budgeting by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC), Ms Alaso reached out to Mr Mafabi to help unravel the complexity of accounts of the ministry’s budget.
“I need some help from the accountants on this; Hon Mafabi,” Ms Alaso appealed.
The rare cooperation

Mr Mafabi willingly chipped in; exposing the suspicious bits in the Defence budget. Officials did not seem to have answers for his searching questions, much to the satisfaction of Ms Alaso.
During PAC meetings of late, the two MPs can afford to share jokes and smiles. This is in stark contrast to November 2012 during the campaigns for the FDC presidency, when Ms Alaso was at the nexus of top FDC honchos, who are believed to have ensured that the man from Bugisu would not replace the retiring Dr Kizza Besigye.

When Mr Mafabi ultimately lost the prized asset, Ms Alaso wept tears of joy at Namboole. In the aftermath of the poll, Mr Mafabi’s supporters rejected the results, saying Ms Alaso, who was party secretary general at the time, had fixed the elections in favour of Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu. They demanded her resignation without success. A cold war ensued.
When Ms Alaso was nominated to lead PAC, she initially turned down the offer, arguing she was not well up to the task which requires a nimble mind on figures.
Before she finally took leadership of PAC, some thought she was more interested in becoming Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, a position Mr Mafabi had held after his rather colourful time as PAC chair.