Diplomat, humanitarian and singer Angella Katatumba, has cleared the air on the controversy raised by Pakistani High Commission in Kenya. In a strong-worded letter dated March 13, the Consulate in Kenya alleges that the Honouray Consulate of Pakistani in Uganda led by Angella Katatumba is operating illegally and has no legal authority.
According to the letter in which Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uganda and Pakistani Community were notified, the Consulate in Uganda was closed after the demise of iconic diplomat and businessman Boney katatumba who passed on in February, 2017.
Longstanding vendetta
In an interview with Angella Katatumba, she revealed there has been a longstanding vendetta between the Ambassador in Kenya and her late father. Angella stated that when former Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf appointed her father as Honourary Consul in Uganda, the officials in the Kenya High Commission including the then Ambassador were disgruntled because he was a Christian.
“The Nairobi office was always fighting my dad. They tried to frustrate him out of office because of he was Christian but they failed because dad was very smart, hardworking”.
Angella revealed that her father was forced to deal directly with Islamabad, Pakistani’s capital for over a decade. However, over the course of his work, there were some ambassadors who did not sideline him because he is Christian.
Former President Musharraf chose a Christian intentionally
Angella explained that former president Musharraf chose a Christian intentionally because of religious divisionism in Pakistani. According to Angella, her father was very successful because he did not involve himself in the wrangles.
“When my father was appointed, his appointment letter was hidden for two years but he went on serve successfully for 17 years”, she explained.
Groomed as a diplomat
Angella revealed that her father groomed her and she served as Deputy Consul of Pakistani in Uganda which places her as the Acting-Consul of Pakistani in Uganda.
“Dad did not groom me to take over. He groomed me to serve in another position”, she stated.
She stated that when she presented her credentials to Nairobi, she was frankly told that she is not a Muslim.
“I like him (Ambassador Raza Bashir ) because he is very frank. He told me he didn’t want me in the office as the Consul because I’m not a Muslim. He then recommended a non Ugandan Muslim but the it was rejected because a Consul must be a national of the given country”, she explained.
Furthermore, Angella reveals when she approached the Ambassador to hand in her application and apply for visa to travel to Pakistani to lobby for the position, the Ambassador rejected her application and also stated that he will not issue the visa to enable her travel to Pakistani.
Nairobi Office has no power to close a consulate
Angella revealed that the Ambassador has no power to close a consulate. She stated it is the president of Pakistani who has the power to appoint and also close down the consulate.
“He is just embarrassing himself trying to bully me. He has been trying to write these letters for over two years”,she stated.
Relevance of the Consulate
Angella stated there are 6,000 registered Pakistanis in Uganda and her office facilitates travel issues and also aids Pakistani’s interests in Uganda especially trade. At the time of this interview, she stated that she had just received from a call from Pakistani national in Uganda at the brink of deportation asking her office to help out.
I’m still passionate about music
Angella stated that despite her Consular work, she remains passionate about singing and business.