Dr Atwine, why are you engaged in ‘party-after- party’ when we’re grieving?

“Oxygen failure kills 30 patients” was Daily Monitor’s June 17 headline with one of the sub-headings being “Fear as health workers run out of PPEs”. The same cover page had an Obituary “Bishop Magyezi: Story of his rise from lay leader”. 

The North Kigezi Diocese Bishop was on the list at page seven of “The prominent people Covid-19 has taken from us” among whom was Hon Manzi Tumubweine, with whom we founded Moneylenders Association of Uganda Ltd where he served as Chairman with me as General Secretary.

On June 15, I had just buried my elder 44-year-old sister, Night Fatuma Mutumba, a staff at Mengo Chief Magistrates Court and a Fourth year Law Student at Islamic University in Uganda. My father, Mohammad Bazinduse Lulibedda Mutumba Ganaafa Mabirizi was then admitted in critical condition, together with my sister Shamsa Mutumba both of whom I again buried on June 18th and 21st, respectively, all succumbing to Covid-19 because of insufficiencies in oxygen supply at Entebbe Grade B Hospital where they had been admitted.

As a lawyer, I knew that by virtue of Article 174(1) of the Constitution which states that “...a Ministry or department of the Government of Uganda shall be under the supervision of a Permanent Secretary”, it is Dr Diana Atwine. She is indeed in control because she had earlier, as an accounting officer responsible for procurements defended the suppliers of faulty oxygen plants, who turned out to be her extended relatives by virtue of their being relatives of President Museveni and Sam Kutesa. 
So, question is, was she bothered about these deaths? The answer is no as I show you.

After being renamed Permanent Secretary amidst lockdown, she released a video of herself with Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health, who campaigned in Lira without a mask, accompanied by top Ministry of Health Staff cutting a cake in a very jovial mood, celebrating the re-appointment. Dr Atwine, what was there to celebrate about being maintained on the frontline, if at all it is a frontline to you?

On August 13, in the midst of 2021, Ministry of Health posted on its social media handles photos of a happy and smartly dressed Dr Atwine receiving “2021 Covid-19 response, recovery and resilience award of exceptional perseverance” from a 17-year-old Suzan Nabuuma, who has no legal capacity! Her second phase of her public celebrations of what she has achieved even attracted headlines in state-owned media!
The minister is quoted by Ministry social media pages on July 27 saying “I condemn the acts of throwing coffins in the name of attacking our PS, @DianaAtwine...This is an act of backwardness”.

The Ministry senior public relations officer had on July 26 responded to a demonstration where words “Atwine re-appointment cancelled” were written on a small coffin in terms that “We would like to condemn continued malicious attacks on Ministry of Health officials by groups of persons who have been politically organized with an intent to defame...We appeal to security and enforcement agencies to interest themselves...”. 

Why does Dr Aceng think that demonstration is backwardness?  Why are Health Ministry ‘technocrats’ concerned with politics? Why do they think their remedy is in security agencies as opposed to real working to the satisfaction of the public? Why is the head ‘technocrat’ Dr Atwine engaged in ‘Party-after-Party’ at a time when we are grieving our people, with me alone having lost a father and two sisters?

Dr Atwine, as Permanent Secretary, you can be held criminally liable under Section 229 of the Penal Code Act which states that “Any person who unlawfully does any act or omits to do any act which it is his or her duty to do..., by which act or omission harm is caused to any person...is liable to imprisonment for six months.”  and you can face trial at any of your lifetime.
 
Male H. Mabirizi K. Kiwanuka is a lawyer & a civically active Ugandan.     [email protected]