I was not poisoned- Norbert Mao says on return
Norbert Mao addresses the press at DP headquarters. Photo by Faiswal Kasiirye
What you need to know:
Mao also spoke candidly about his sickness. “I went through different examinations but doctors discovered when I was in Nairobi Hospital that I was suffering from acute pneumonia and Hepatitis B. I was not poisoned as the media reports were saying,” he said.
Kampala.
Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao who has been indisposed for almost two months, due to illness, has denied that State House picked his medical bill and that he was poisoned as media recently alleged.
Mao who addressed the party’s weekly press conference at City Hall on Tuesday morning immediately announced a party meeting where all aspirants for various offices on a DP ticket/flag will be registered.
The DP leader also denied any contribution from the state towards his medical bills.
“We did not receive any money from State House,” Mao stated. Reports in local tabloids had indicated that State House had paid shs350m to clear Mr Mao’s medical bill in Nairobi.
“My medical treatment was shs30 million and that shs350million is a lot of money. We know nothing about that money but if someone signed for it, he or she should be ready to account,” he explained.
However, Mr Mao admitted that his medical bill was expensive for Uganda’s oldest party, the reason he left Nairobi Hospital prematurely, against the doctors’ advice of one month admittance, and rented an apartment in Nairobi as he recuperated.
Mao also dismissed reports that he had been flown to Nairobi in a presidential (UPDF) chopper.
“We just got the help of the UPDF helicopter after the Deputy Speaker of Parliament (Jacob Oulanyah) called the army hierarchy in Gulu to provide assistance. It took me to Entebbe international airport from where I flew to Nairobi aboard Kenyan Airways,” he elaborated.
Mao also spoke candidly about his sickness. “I went through different examinations but doctors discovered when I was in Nairobi Hospital that I was suffering from acute pneumonia and Hepatitis B. I was not poisoned as the media reports were saying,” he said.
