I will reward all MPs who saved me from censure – Muhwezi

The Minister for Security, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, has promised to reward all the Members of Parliament (MPs) who did not sign a petition to censure him by attending all public functions in their constituencies if he is invited. 

Gen Muhwezi made the remarks during the thanksgiving ceremony of the family of former State minister for Regional Cooperation, Dr Philemon Mateke, at Nyakabingo Primary School playground in Kisoro District on Saturday. 

“I want to thank the Members of Parliament [who] refused to sign a petition to fight the government that was being pushed by some members of the Opposition to censure me from my office. I am sure that it was teamwork of the patriotic Members of Parliament that saw the planned censure motion defeated,” Gen Muhwezi said. 

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He added: “I will reward all the MPs [who] refused to sign the censure motion by attending public functions in their constituencies in a big way whenever I am invited. Two hands wash each other, the hands that give are the hands that receive.”

The thanksgiving ceremony was organised by Dr Mateke’s children to celebrate the 53 years of marriage of their parents and the 55 years their father spent serving the government. 

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In a message read for her by Gen Muhwezi, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, congratulated the Matekes for the golden jubilee celebrations and thanked them for their dedication to serving God. 

“I thank God for blessing you with 53 years of holy matrimony and it is my prayer that you live longer. Dr Mateke has been a pillar of excellence not only in public service but also in family matters of which many Ugandans can learn a lesson. I thank you for nurturing your children, some of whom have emulated you by serving the public in different capacities,” Ms Nabbanja said. 

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She contributed Shs10 million towards the construction of Nyakabingo Church of Uganda in Kisoro District. A total of Shs130 million was raised for the construction. 

Dr Mateke thanked the people of Kisoro District for giving him an opportunity to serve them as their MP in the early 1980s. 

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He also thanked the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government for giving him an opportunity to serve as the State Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development from 1998 to 2002 and as a State Minister for Regional Cooperation from 2015 to 2021.

Background

Dr Philemon Mateke was born in 1942 in Bwiza Village, Kisoro District. He attended Nyakabingo Church School for his primary education and Kigezi College Butobere for O’level. He later joined Busoga College Mwiri for his A’level. He then joined Makerere University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1970. 

In 1971, he went to London to pursue as for master’s degree and in 1974 he went to Pakistan for his PHD which he completed in 1977. 

The Matekes have six children including Ms Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, the state minister for Youth and Children Affairs.

Dr Mateke was a member of the National Resistance Council (NRC) from 1987 to 1993, a delegate in the Constituent Assembly from1993 to 1995, and Kisoro District chairman from 2003 to 2014.