Age Saga: MP Nambooze reveals her real date of birth, she is 50 years at 48 defends NUP president Bobi Wine. Whisper Eye Reports
Mukono Municipality outspoken legislator Betty Nambooze Bakireke has shocked the world by revealing her real date of birth in an incident that is similar to embattled National Unity Platform (NUP) party president Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu over his real age.
MP Nambooze said that she was taken to school with her elder sister, and her parents has to make both of them twins to convince teachers and get school fees reduction for the two students from the same family.
In a statement titled ‘Why Nambooze is 50 years at 48’ opposition Iron lady MP Nambooze has defended singer Kyagulanyi popularly known by his stage name Bobi Wine who turned politician and declared to contest with president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the forthcoming general elections.
MP Nambooze writes;
The Presser by Presidential aspirant Bobi Wine has turned out to be emotional to some of us with a humble background who jumped a great deal of hurdles to become the great people you see.
A few of us are lucky since many of our collegues never made it, the nature of families they grew in dictated that they will leave a life of second class citizens.
Sometimes I see people mocking me, even after hustling all the way to the top by the grace of God, I continue suffering humiliation from some heartless Ugandans.
People like me should just be celebrated for defying all odds to be where we are…our stories need to be told to the disadvantaged Ugandan children to give them hope.
The Country would have used our cases to come up with the right policy to save millions of Uganda’s best brains wasting away in villages and ghettos.
Ironically, some people claiming to support Hon Kyagulanyi have recently been the ones demonising me over the deprived life i lived as a child.
Some of them circulate photos of mine taken decades back to show how “Museveni (Of recent DP) has lifted me from grass to grace”.
But what did Museveni done for me?
He started a war that claimed all my father’s property.
The Luwero War separated us as a family and left us to fend for ourselves and we ended up becoming street and Market vendors in Mukono.
It was hell taking ourselves through school…we missed class over school fees very often.
After Primary seven I was admitted to Mt. St. Mary’s college Namagunga but I failed to join my dream school because I couldn’t afford it.
That is why we constantly advocate for a country that works for all….a country where every citizen can realise his/her full potential…a country that Museveni has failed to deliver in 35 years.
After attaining A-Level and University education at the public expense,the Musevenis removed the ladder for us….today it pleases them and they even hire machineries to mock us because of our sketchy education.
People Power activists should never do this again for many of us grew up in exactly the same environment as Hon Kyagulanyi.
We were never dull students we we’re only betrayed by our leaders.
It is this we seek to end for the children of the not so rich majority Ugandans.
Today I recalled how my sister Maria Sanyu Namatovu ( RIP) was 2 years older than myself but Mum decided to make the two of us twins and go to the same school because with two children in one class, she was given a discount.
More still, studying in the same class with my elder sister made everything cheaper because we would share.
I started Nursery class at Mrs. Katabalwa’s sitting room in Nasuti-Mukono but after one term I was transfered to Bishop East Primary school Mukono.
The P1 entry examination was by passing a test that required lifting ones arm over the head to touch the ear.
A child below six year cannot pass that test. So i definitely failed the test and had to go for plan B of acquiring two false years.
This was 1976 my Mother agreed with the class teacher Mrs Kizza that in order to flout the system i should be added 2 more years.
I was instructed that if anyone inquired about my date of birth i would say that I was born on 13th of July 1969.
That would make me six years old. The fact is that I was born on the “13th of July 1971”.
When I grew up I thought about this matter and came to conclusion that I lose nothing if I am 2 years older than my real age.
Stating that I was 2 years younger would invite embarrassment onto myself since many would not believe me.
I therefore chose to live my official age to date.
Let me hope, I won’t be standing in a dock soon for telling lies about my age.
Hon Nambooze stated.
Yesterday Mr Wine came out to clear the air about his age and academic papers challenged by city Lawyer Male Mabirizi.
Mr Male Hassan Mabirizi Kassim Kiwanuka yesterday instituted criminal proceedings against Mr Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu over giving false information to Parliament that he was born in 1982 instead of 1980 and obtaining registration by false pretence.
