On the first day of her arraignment at Buganda Road Magistrate Court, OPM PS Christine Guwatudde Kintu benefited from plenty of solidarity that was generously expressed by anti-establishment politicians who also happen to be lawyers namely Theodore Sekikubo and Medard Segona. As if they had been instructed, these took advantage of the mass media presence to spit pro-Guwatudde fire while accusing the state of selective prosecution. They specifically defended Guwatudde who is being detained with three other OPM officials regarding problems that marred procurement of relief food for the economically vulnerable Ugandans in Kampala and Wakiso districts.
President Museveni, who these days watches TV more frequently than ever before, watched the bashing on his screen and didn’t take the criticisms lightly. Information went out that the well-intentioned solidarity the two outspoken legislators exhibited would only make things more complicated for Guwatudde because in this part of the world, being legally right has often had to be subordinated to what is politically expedient. This by implication meant that Guwatudde would find it harder getting back her job even if her legal team finally proves her innocence because most of these have to ultimately be political decisions rotating around what Gen Museveni considers to be politically prudent conduct.
After the court session, that ended in Guwatudde being remanded to new Kitalya prison up to 4th May, the PS’ friends reflected and concurred that the uninvited involvement of the two fiery legislators was going to cause more harm than good as it would make Gen Museveni become uneasy and make it hard for the political establishment to judge Guwatudde any leniently. At the prompting of these friends, the Guwatudde family (that is unable to reach her regularly because of the COVID restrictions) resolved to politely reach out and ask the two controversial anti-establishment politicians to keep away and leave the case to be handled by less controversial lawyers.
Initially it was John Ntambirweki of the NRM (leading the defense team) but he has since been replaced by Legendary Kampala defense lawyer Mac Dusman Kabega who will be representing Ms Guwatudde for the rest of the trial. This is something the friends believe will make things easier for the jailed Guwatudde both politically and legally without discomforting the powers that be.
Credit: mulengeranews.com
