President Museveni has told Peace Mutuuzo, the minister of state for Gender, to be respectful and to stop making disparaging remarks about the practice of "visiting the bush."
Sources have told The Rogue that Museveni sounded the warning in a terse meeting with Mutuuzo and her cabinet colleagues after he got intelligence that she was campaigning against the practice.
The meeting happened shortly before the president flew to Ethiopia for the African Union summit.
The minister last week made headlines when she spoke out against the practice of visiting the bush. She was speaking in the context of some women modifying their genitalia, something she said dehumanises them.
But Museveni, sources said, understood it in another context.
By criticizing those who visit the bush, Museveni believed Mutuuzo was undermining efforts of the NRA soldiers who spent five years in the bush trying to liberate the country from poor leadership.
"I led the bush war effort. I spent many years in the bush. Without going to the bush all this peace and freedom of speech would not be there. Why then do you pour cold water on these efforts?"
Museveni told Mutuuzo that besides the male fighters, there were many women in the bush who did tremendous work.
"We had Janat Mukwaya, Nalweyiso, Zizinga in the bush with us," he said.
Museveni said it would be an insult to the women who endured a tough time in the bushes of Luweero if they were told that what they did was wrong.
At this point, Mutuuzo was shifting uneasily in her seat, bubbling inside. She wanted to say something.
As she pleaded to explain herself and give the matter a proper context, Museveni cut her off and told her to issue an apology or else..
But before Museveni could complete his sentence, a powerful female minister interjected and told the president that what he was reacting to was not what the minister meant.
What did she mean?
"She used the phrase in reference to practise by young women to elongate their parts as told by their Ssenga," the minister said.
"Oh..,okay," Museveni blubbered before adding: "But even if she was referring to that practice, I think our mothers and sisters who indulge in it have no problem with it."
Then he asked the male minister: "Do you have any issue with our mothers and sisters visiting the bush?"
"No," they replied in unison. The debate was closed.
The Rogue is a satirical column that runs every TUESDAY on The Nile Post. Contact the author on +256-788179369/+256-752195226.
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