Chris Obore is back and barking orders in Parliament after two years of absence.
Chris Obore returned to work at the August House, a day after his main man Jacob Olanyah was sworn in as Speaker.
He lost his position as Director of Communications and Public Affairs following allegations that he did not take accumulated leave of 5 years. And reports by the IGG that he was irregularly appointed in 2015.
The former Daily Monitor investigative reporter, celebrated his return with a strong message, seemingly to outgoing speaker Kadaga and her supporters.
The Kamuli woman legislator had a substantial number of MPs from the ruling party NRM and opposition siding with her in battle to reclaim her position.
Obore last night issued a statement to all MPs in Parliament that he is in charge and that nobody all will receive equal treatment.
The Parliament mouthpiece in an interview with The New Vision, said: “There are no special MPs. All MPs are equal and are entitled to office space provided by Parliament except those who become ministers.”
He said: “There is no MP who is given special treatment… except those with special needs.”
Obore’s stun message comes at a time when Parliament is hot on the heels of the public for securing office space at the new building in town Kingdom Building to house MPs.
The message also comes at a time when President Yoweri Museveni is burning night candles over the look of his candidate.
Museveni met NRM caucus at Kololo Airstrip where he requested for an additional slot for a minister of state.
He informed NRM MPs he had concluded on the position of the Vice President and the Prime Minister and wanted them to start work very quickly.
Kadaga during her campaign for speaker, rejected the position of Vice President. It remains to be seen if she will still go ahead to reject it.
If the President’s list comes out and she is missing on it then Obore will have had the last laugh with former speaker headed for back bencher role and occupying same office space as her colleagues.
Obore’s forced leave
Obore was reportedly pushed out in 2019 after missing 5 years’ of leave.
Sources at Parliament then revealed that the Sergeant at Arms locked him out of his office.
The Clerk to Parliament then asked Obore to take a forced leave of five years.
Obore took the matter up with his lawyers Kampala Associated Advocates to the Public Service arguing against it.
They reasoned that, when public servant doesn’t apply for leave in a given calendar year, they forfeit it.
IGG Irene Mulyagonja did not makers matters lighter for the former journalist when she wrote to Parliament recommending for the termination of Obore’s contract.
The Clerk to Parliament then wrote asking him to vacate office or defend himself or battle his accusers in court.
Obore reportedly earned the job after Parliamentary Commission relaxed its call for holders of master’s degrees to bachelor’s degree.
However, luck run out on the former scribe when IGG insisted Parliamentary Commission didn’t publicly advertise for the jobs after revising it’s minutes but simply invited specific applicants individually.
Rearing chicken
Obore then retired to his home base in Bukedea where he has been rearing chicken as captured on his social media pages.
One of his posts on social media read: “How is Kampala? Bukedea is sunny and peaceful. Just finished feeding chicken.”
Obore proudly not so long ago talked about his chicken rearing hobby when called for President Museveni’s swearing ceremony at Kololo where he was invited.
He said: “I left cleaning my chicken houses after being invited to witness the inauguration of President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni. The old man is grounded on international policy, economics and politics. Conceptually clear.”
Obore added: “On my way now to see my chicken. Before I left I met my Woman MP who is vying for position of Deputy Speaker. If she wins , she will be the first in the history of Teso and my village.”
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
