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A recent ceremony involving the area land committee (ALC) in Jinja city’s northern division, took an unexpected turn, leading to a repeat of the swearing-in process. The event, overseen by Jinja’s grade one magistrate Lindah Nakalema at the Jinja city Mayor’s Garden, encountered a peculiar situation when one committee member appended her marital status to her official names.
The member, identified as Rose Mukama, added ‘Namwandu,’ a term signifying widowhood, to her name, contrary to the standard protocol. Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, who graced the occasion as the chief guest, intervened upon noticing the deviation from protocol. Kadaga, who holds a legal background, emphasized that such titles were inappropriate during swearing-in ceremonies.
Bernard Mbayo, serving as the master of ceremonies and also the speaker of Jinja city council, echoed Kadaga’s sentiments, declaring Mukama’s initial oath as null and void. Consequently, Mukama was required to repeat the oath, adhering strictly to her given names without additional titles.
Following this incident, attention shifted to another member of the committee, Irene Nabirye, whose swearing-in turned attention-grabbing due to her struggle with English proficiency. Despite efforts by Rajab Kitto, the spokesperson for Jinja City Council, to assist Nabirye in reciting the oath, Nabirye persisted in pronouncing words inaccurately.
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This situation led to speculation among observers, including Kadaga, regarding Nabirye’s suitability to represent Budondo. However, it was later disclosed that Nabirye’s tenure at the former Budondo sub-county, prior to its incorporation into Jinja Municipal Council, had not yet concluded.
Kitto defended Nabirye, urging empathy towards individuals struggling with language barriers, highlighting the tendency to ridicule broken English speakers. He emphasized the need to foster a more inclusive and respectful environment, irrespective of linguistic proficiency.
Among the members officially sworn into the ALC were Musa Kamegi, Joseph Kabanda, and Wilfred Muyingo, with Muyingo assuming the role of chairperson.
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