{UAH} What your MP does in their free time could baffle you
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8:55 PM |
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MP Nabilah Naggayi (L) on stage dancing
Once during the dying days of the 7th Parliament, he interjected Edward Bwerere-Kasole, the Buwekula MP, on a point of order.
"Is it in order for an honourable member of Parliament to make his maiden contribution when Parliament is about to wind up?" the youthful and sometimes eccentric
MP asked, drawing prolonged bouts of laughter from the MPs, including then Speaker Edward Ssekandi. Otto was definitely ruled out of order, but then, Kasole, for all his years in Parliament, hardly ever said a word.Yet curiously, one of Kasole's hobbies, according to the directory of the seventh Parliament, is debating.
Perhaps Kasole was a good debater at home; we may never know for sure.
But what we now know is that many of our MPs have odd, if not interesting hobbies. Sifting through the profiles of our MPs as listed in the directory of the ninth Parliament can be a laughter-inducing exercise, especially when you look at what they consider to be hobbies. Clearly, some of them need to be helped to understand what a hobby is.
A hobby, according to the Macmillan English Dictionary, is something you enjoy doing regularly when not working. So, when Hatwib Katoto (Katerera) lists praying five times a day as one of his hobbies, it just does not add up, even if he enjoys it. Daily prayer in Islam is compulsory for all adult males. How this becomes a hobby, one does not understand.
In the same way, it baffles that Charles Bakkabulindi, the Workers' MP, lists contributing to construction of feeder roads as a hobby!
This hobby, unlike swimming or dancing, requires one to be financially well-endowed and be willing to get dirty. Bakkabulindi is neither. Recently when his car got stuck somewhere in Kapchorwa, he remained glued in his seat as his driver, bodyguard and the wananchi tried to get him out of the rut. We did not see him rub his hands gleefully.
Later, he decried the poor roads in the countryside but what did not occur to him was the fact that he had missed a glorious opportunity to indulge in his hobby!
We all know that Janet Museveni, the First Lady, is spiritual and, therefore, enjoys dabbling in religious work. But how many of us know that she also likes restoring old buildings, as a hobby?
Well, she says she led the efforts to demolish the old Naguru Teenage health centre to make way for a bigger hospital. I don't remember seeing her in a protective hat, wielding a pick axe or sledge hammer to help with the demolition. Whatever she did, let us hope that she really enjoyed it – enough to be listed as a hobby!
Emma Boona, the Woman MP for Mbarara, among other hobbies, enjoys engaging in family planning. Hahaha!
At 60 years of age, we don't know whether she is still frightened over the prospect of giving birth or perhaps she meant to say that she enjoys planning for the organisation and well-being of families...
Looked at from another perspective, the choices of our MPs' hobbies tell us something about humankind. We all want to be perceived as intelligent, smart, compassionate, down to earth, outgoing and kind –even if we are not remotely close to those attributes. Saleh Kamba, the MP for Kibuku, is quite abrasive.
Talk to him for a minute and he will tell you about his military past as a former operative of Kalangala Action Plan (KAP), a defunct notorious paramilitary group that became infamous during the 2001 elections for roughing up opposition supporters. Kamba could have undergone the biblical transformation of Saul to Paul; otherwise, we still have our doubts on whether he is the prayerful, gospel-music-loving person he says he is.
In the same vein, Ronald Kibuule, the flamboyant, polygamous minister of state for the Youth, says he enjoys discussing world issues. We cannot tell whether he is lying, but we are sure he is not the kind of person you are going to turn to if you want a proper understanding of the Israel/Palestine conflict, global warming or the economic rise of China.
But for men looking for advice on how to keep their wives happy, Kibuule will gladly give you advice. He is an expert at that. Yet some of these hobbies are a real reflection of the personalities or behaviour of some of our MPs. Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi's only listed hobby is reading. And when Mbabazi stands up to speak, his response is usually well researched.
The same applies to MP Abdu Katuntu, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, minister Adolf Mwesige, MP Alice Alaso, minister Frank Tumwebaze and many others, who say they enjoy reading and whose views are usually well-articulated. Fadhil Chemaswet (Kween) sometimes prefers a militant approach to issues.
During the oil debate when some MPs were baying for the blood of Sam Kutesa and Mbabazi, Chemaswet got so agitated that at some point you thought he was going to get physical. So, where did this sudden burst of anger come from? Perhaps from watching Strike Commando or Rambo, since he enjoys watching war movies.
In his free time, Jeje Odongo, the minister of state for Defence, goes to the gym to build his body and do yoga. Even through his well-knitted suits, his physique is visible, but still, the image of Jeje folding into a yoga pause is to kill for!
Beatrice Rusaniya, the Kiruhura Woman MP, is the embodiment of modesty. On foreign trips, Rusaniya is always willing to carry the shopping bags of her colleagues. Little wonder that she lists reading the Bible as one of her hobbies. There are others for whom it is difficult to make a connection between their hobbies and personalities.
Robert Kafeero, the Nakifuma MP, says he likes beach activities. From his outlook and general behaviour, it is difficult to fathom a shirtless Kafeero with his partner in tow, sunbathing at a beach. But someone has reminded me that many people go to the beach to eat fish and chips.
The shocker of all hobbies comes from Naome Kabasharira, the razor-thin woman MP for Ntungamo. She lists watching wrestling as a favourite pastime. We all know that wrestling contains many scenes of violence and not many women like it.
Even Kassiano Wadri, the fire-spitting Terego MP who always appears as if he is on the verge of punching someone, does not find wrestling interesting. Yet the humble-looking Kabasharira, whom we think cannot even hurt a fly, will do anything to watch it.
Strange, isn't it?
You must be wondering about Otto's hobby. Well, playing pool. And he recently even reached the semi-final of a tournament.
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