Museveni: "I discovered Aceng like Speke discovered River Nile"

President Yoweri Museveni has opened up on Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng's saga, saying that she is a good scientist despite her transgressions.

Last week, Aceng came under fire for not observing the social distancing as one of the measures introduced and advocated for by her ministry to combat the spread of Coronavirus when a photo and video she was captured in distributing face masks in Aromo sub-county in Lira district amidst crowds went viral.

Speaking about the incident in his 19th address on the Coronavirus situation in the country, President Museveni noted that Dr Aceng is not used to politics and might have been overpowered by the situation.

Museveni said, "You need to be used to these political things. Because she's used to the laboratory with a white coat where the doctors are respected. When she went to distribute masks, those Langi women went into a procession and the poor girl (Dr Aceng) was there behind and then the video went viral. I saw the video myself,"

"I think (Dr) Jane will explain in her own way but I don't think she is the one who said that you come and we have a rally. The problem was to put herself in a situation where these people will crowd," the president added.

Nevertheless, the President said that Aceng is a good scientist.

"I discovered her like Speke discovered the Nile. One time I had gone to Lira in the days when we were fighting the terrorists and I went to the hospital, I found there a young lady, working very dedicatedly. I noted her and later on I brought her because she was very committed. I said you come and bring the devotion I saw in Lira."

The president said that in January this year, while in Togo, Aceng had told her about her intentions to stand in Lira and he had said no.

"So I thought I had convinced her to leave those Langis alone and concentrate on the medical work of the ministry but when this Coronavirus came, they did a good work and the Langis were very happy saying that this girl must come. I have the letters. Later, I found that the Langis had taken the lady to make her an MP," Museveni said.

Museveni said that, going forward, if any politician is to meet people, they should meet them in very controlled situations to avoid such scenarios.

Several politicians, had earlier on called for the resignation of Aceng from the Ministry of Health.

Aceng however said that she did nothing wrong and that political opponents had exaggerated the situation.