DP’s Mao hospitalised, party says condition not worrying

KAMPALA. The Democratic Party (DP) president, Mr Norbert Mao, is admitted to the International Hospital Kampala, party officials said yesterday.
DP spokesperson Kenneth Kakande, however, dismissed earlier reports that Mr Mao had slipped into coma, saying the party leader was only being treated for an infection.
“It’s not true that our party president slipped into coma. His condition is not worrying at IHK and one of our executive members has talked to him this morning (yesterday) about the party constitution before going into the Opposition parties’ meeting at Hotel Africana,” Mr Kakande said.
Mr Mao has been in and out of hospital since July 2014 when he was admitted to Lacor Hospital in Gulu “after coming down with malaria and abdominal pain” party officials said then.
He was a month later referred to Nairobi Hospital where he stayed for six weeks until he recuperated. On return, the DP leader spoke candidly about his illness.
“I went through different examinations… doctors discovered that I was suffering from acute pneumonia and hepatitis B. I was not poisoned as the media reports were saying,” he said.
The former presidential candidate said the first two weeks at the hospital were difficult because he could not talk.
“Due to pneumonia, my liver was collapsing and I had an aggressive attack, which made my body swell. It has an effect on my sight and hearing,” he said.

Took leave
In February this year, Mao announced that he was taking leave from the day-to-day running of the party affairs due to ill-health.
“I have decided to take a break to continue my recuperation. I interrupted it to lead the campaigns in the Amuru November 2014 and Busia January 2015 by-elections and I need time to regain my full strength,” Mr Mao said then.
He left the running of the party affairs to DP secretary general Mathias Nsubuga and urged all contenders for the party’s presidency to adhere to the provisions of the party constitution.

Before
The DP leader first fell sick in July last year shortly after he arrived in northern Uganda during the campaign for free and fair elections. He was also in the region as part of a parallel process to prepare for the 2016 general elections.