It would seem like the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has a special history with shrines. If we might remember the pictures of the Speaker entering a shrine which went viral a couple of years ago, then factor in an ongoing saga in which Kadaga finds herself on the wrong side of a conflict with a traditional healer.
Shrine issues are taking the wrong turn for Hon. Kadaga as a one Damiano Akuze has dragged her to Jinja High Court demanding Shs200m for alleged breach of contract, in lieu of a ‘spiritual transaction’ the two allegedly made years ago.
According to Akuze, Kadaga approached her in 1990 at his shrine in Buwala, Buganda Zone, Lulyambuzi Parish in Kamuli District, demanding for traditional medicine that can make her a prominent politician. Akuze says he administered it and Kadaga has all the way enjoyed a successful political career.
“The defendant (Speaker Kadaga) requested the plaintiff (traditional healer) to work on her so that she would be given a big job in government and also be driven in a convoy like a president. The defendant did not have money to pay the plaintiff at the time. So the plaintiff accepted to work on her on condition that she would pay the plaintiff as soon as she got the job,” the traditional healer alleges.
The healer further reveals that the speaker has always been coming down to the shrines for more medicine and only paid Shs1m amongst the promises she has made. He says Kadaga promised to construct for him a house worth Shs100m, give him a Tipper truck worth Shs60m, a plot of land at Shs40m and four cows, among other rewards.
“The defendant’s (Ms Kadaga) refusal to pay the plaintiff (witchdoctor) is in breach of the contract as the plaintiff did all his work and has been administering traditional medicine up to October 2017 as contracted by the defendant but the latter has, without reason, breached the contract,” MrAkuze states in the suit.