Sunday, December 27, 2009

Why Otunnu missed Museveni handshake


From Uganda-

STATE House has reacted to complaints by Olara Otunnu that President Yoweri Museveni refused to shake his hand at the consecration of the new Anglican bishop of northern Uganda.

According to presidential press secretary Tamale Mirundi, former UN diplomat Otunnu remained seated as the Museveni walked in during the ceremony last Sunday, making it difficult for him to offer him a handshake.

It is normal practice and a gesture of respect for people to stand up when the President approaches to greet them. Remaining seated can be interpreted as a sign of disrespect.

Mirundi added that Museveni could not shake hands with the UPC presidential aspirant because he wanted to use it for opportunistic goals.

“Otunnu refused to stand up as all other people did as a trick to force Museveni bend in order to shake hands with him. Otunnu had staged a photographer ready to photograph Museveni bending to shake hands with Otunnu.”

Museveni and Otunnu found themselves at the same place for the first time since the failed peace talks in 1985.

Otunnu was at the time foreign affairs minister in the Okello regime that was overthrown by Museveni’s National Resistance Army in January 1986.

Otunnu had expressed his disappointment that Museveni refused to shake hands with him.

“President Museveni came around greeting people in the tent. I was eagerly waiting to shake hands with him but he avoided me and passed over to other people,” he told journalists on Monday.
He said since they were all Christians in a holy place, they should have shaken hands.

More here-

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=123&newsId=705226

1 comment:

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