By Spy Uganda
Busoga kingdom is in disarray following the arrest of Kyabazinga William Gabula Nadiope’s blue-eyed girl Hellen Namutamba, who is his Minister for Tourism.
News reaching us indicates that Namutamba, who is also Speaker Rebecca Kadaga’s top aide, was arrested on Wednesday after she had reportedly spent two nights ducking at the Speaker’s palatial residence in Muyenga, Kampala.
Sources reveal that Police on Monday telephoned Namutamba to report to Kira Division Police, Wakiso, to record a statement over an “alleged case of offensive communication to the prejudice of Hon Anita Among (Bukedea District Woman MP), in respect of two posts that were posted on the Facebook account of a one Brian Kinene on 8th and 9th May 2020 respectively.”
It is said that Among had earlier recorded a statement at police, saying her reputation was being damaged by Kinene’s Facebook posts, in which he alleged that President Yoweri Museveni was dishing out millions of shillings to Among to undermine Speaker Kadaga.
Prior to that, Kadaga had held a meeting with MPs from Teso region about the controversial Shs10Bn COVID-19 money which was shared by MPs, although the High Court and President Museveni later ordered them to return the money.
During the meeting, Kadaga reportedly told Teso legislators that returning the money was not only embarrassing her but also part of the wider plan by the Executive to undermine her authority.
Although Kinene posted some of the details of the meeting on his Facebook page, MP Among, who felt personally targeted, decided to invoke the wrath of the law on Kinene, who later confessed to cops that Namutamba was behind the smear campaign.
He also confessed receiving facilitation via mobile money from Namutamba for the smear campaign against Among and Kadaga’s other opponents in Busoga.
However, on learning that cops were hunting for her, Namutamba reportedly fled her home in Namugongo and sought protection from Kadaga by hiding at her home.
On failing to locate Namutamba at her home or anywhere else, the Police on May 12, CIID issued formal summons for her to appear at police to help in investigations but she did not.
Sources reveal that on Wednesday, Namutamba delivered herself before the Acting Commissioner Media Crimes Department at Kira Police Dive Division where she was netted like a grasshopper.
After the arrest, detectives took Namutamba to her home in Namugongo for a search, from where they several mobile phone handsets and other gadgets.
A source privy to the investigation told this website that “Police’s target were electronic devices and they got some mobile phones for analysis.”
However, despite her arrest, the police are yet to issue a statement about the matter and the charges preferred against Namutamba.
How Kadaga and Namutamba Met
Sources reveal that Kadaga met Namutamba in London where she (Namutamba) was struggling to make ends meet.
After getting well-acquainted with each other, Kadaga reportedly concinced Namutamba to return to Uganda and on returning, she was appointed Presidential Assistant on Wealth Creation and also served as an aide to Justice Catherine Bamugemereire during the inquiry into land conflicts in Uganda.
Later Kadaga hired Namutamba as her Personal Aide, to run errands, manage her private publicity campaigns, among other roles.
However, ever since she started working under Kadaga, several politicians in Busoga region, especially those not in tandem with the Speaker, have always accused her of relentlessly attacking them on social media.
But her arrest comes at a time when Speaker Kadaga is not on good terms with President Museveni, who accuses her of undermining his authority and disregarding his directives about the Shs10Bn COVID-19 MPs cash which was shared by MPs.
