Minister booed over NRM win remarks

Mourners at the burial of 89-year-old Abisagi Kweronda in Kibaale ward, Nyakabirizi Division in Bushenyi District, last Friday booed Security Minister Mary Karooro Okurut (Pictured) over her remarks that they defeated the Opposition.

What you need to know:

The remarks. Ms Okurut told mourners that NRM won many seats in the just concluded elections and are still in charge.

Bushenyi. Mourners at the burial of 89-year-old Abisagi Kweronda in Kibaale ward, Nyakabirizi Division in Bushenyi District, last Friday booed Security Minister Mary Karooro Okurut over her remarks that they defeated the Opposition.
Mr Kweronda died of heart-related complications.

How it started
It all began when the master of ceremonies, Mr Pison Mugizi, criticised the Rev Yona Katoneene of West Ankole Diocese and Bishop Emeritus William Magambo of West Ankole for failing to join the Forum For Democratic Change weekly prayers yet they are supposed to lead people in prayer whenever there is distress.
“These bishops and reverends are supposed to pray for their flock whenever we are in distress but they have distanced themselves from the cause. As our shepherds, they have let us down,” Mr Mugizi said.
Mr Mugizi raised many more public concerns, including poor health service delivery and impassable roads directing them to Ms Okurut who is also the Bushenyi District Woman Member of Parliament.

When her chance to speak came, Ms Okurut said those who feel they should pray can go on and pray, adding that NRM won many seats across the country and it would still lead with no interruption.
Upon uttering the statements, the mourners murmured and demanded that she hands the microphone back to the MC and sit down. They said they were still wounded and Ms Okurut should not utter such statements. They also said the elections were rigged at different levels and they were tired of the malpractice.

The minister asked the people of Bushenyi to keep united irrespective of political affiliations. When the atmosphere proved unfavourable for Ms Okurut to speak any more, she handed the microphone to the MC.
The mourners also shouted when Bishop Katoneene began by thanking President Museveni for the good things he has done for Uganda.
People in the crowd told the cleric that it was not time for campaigning but time for mourning the loss of their friend Kweronda. Kweronda was the first female from the Ankole region to study from Gayaza High School.
From Gayaza, she went to Mengo Nursing School where she trained as a nurse.