A photo of the US ambassador to Uganda Natalie E. Brown seated on uncovered plastic chair during President Yoweri Museveni inauguration has been making rounds on social media with many accusing organisers of ‘eating’ the preparation money and deciding to go for cheap chairs.
Being a comic that he is, Democratic Party President Norbert Mao has said that the person in charge of ambassadors sitting must be one of those on VISA restrictions hence he/she decided to give the American ambassador a plastic chair.
Earlier this year, US imposed visa restrictions on Uganda government officials over “undermining democracy” during the recent electoral process.
Kasule Lumumba, the ruling party Secretary General defended the choice of the chairs saying they were supporting BUBU (Buy Uganda, Build Uganda).
Similarly the government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said, “Those were the chairs we could afford.”
On boycotting the event, Mao said it’s nothing personal, “Our symbolic act of not appearing for the inauguration is an objection to the human rights violation and violation of the law.”