Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao has attacked the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, leaders, for criticizing the government’s decision to airlift Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah to the US for specialized treatment.
In an interview with a local newspaper, Mao noted that all government officials are entitled to specialized treatment if their condition is complicated, indicating that NUP leaders and supporters are not being honest in their attacks on Oulanyah.
“NUP is trying to score political goals but they are not only doing bad politicking but also bad manners. In my culture, you don’t criticize a sick person, you wait for them to heal before you attack them,” Mao said.
“As I said, the NRM in Parliament is on holiday because the front desk on the Opposition side is very empty. They lack depth and coherence in their ideas,” he added.
On February 3, Oulanyah was airlifted to the US to receive specialized treatment.
Shortly after his admission at the hospital in Seattle, US, a group of NUP members demonstrated against the move, indicating that it was a waste of resources for the government to airlift officials abroad other than building a better healthcare system in the country.
Mao noted that NUP had a point in their agitation but it was done at the wrong time.
“It is the hypocrisy of the highest order because when Bobi Wine or Betty Nambooze is sick, they are airlifted on government money. It is, therefore, bad politics for the NUP chaps to think that they oppose everything,” he said.
In response, David Rubongoya, the NUP secretary said that their position as a party has always been fighting to make sure that the healthcare system in the country is one that could serve everyone, including the top government officials.