Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni’s roadside call gets Twitter users guessing

Museveni call

This photo of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, chatting on the phone while sitting on a chair on the side of a village road, has raised questions – such as whether the cowboy hat-wearing leader was pulling off a cheap publicity stunt or was dealing with urgent matters of national importance.

The photo was released by his press officer Don Wanyama who said on Facebook that his 71-year-old boss had stopped his motorcade to make the 30-minute call while returning from World Population Day celebrations in remote western Uganda on Monday.

He does not say why the call had to be made from a roadside chair – with an accompanying desk – but Ugandans have offered their own explanations on Twitter.

UgandaInsert

UgandaInsert1

Others wondered who was on the other end of the line – his wife Janet or another long-serving ruler, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe?

UgandaInsert2

UgandaInsert3

@Samzen thinks the conversation was with someone in his government, and it revolved around opposition leader Kizza Besigye who was charged with treason after denouncing Mr Museveni’s victory in elections in February as fraudulent.

UgandaInsert4

For others, Mr Museveni was trying to identify the culprit complaining about un-tarred and potholed roads.

UgandaInsert5

Perhaps, though, the call was not all that important as the president had time to wave at a passing motorist.

UgandaInsert6

And as he said in a Facebook post, he had a “brief chat” with the residents of Kyeirumba Village during the stopover.

“They thanked the government for tarmacking the road that connects Uganda to Tanzania through Isingiro,” Mr Museveni said.

“The residents also asked that government engages solar panel distributors to reduce cost. We shall follow up on this,” he added.

On Twitter, @chrisatuk pictured Mr Museveni in better company, with men who use straws to drink a home-made brew, which has water mixed into it, from a communal pot. He mocks the president for pronouncing the letter l as r, and plays on the fact that when men intend to go and drink they say: “I am going to telephone.”

UgandaInsert7

For another tweeter, the Ugandan leader was in a far more exotic place.

UgandaInsert8

Others were wondering whether Zimbabwe’s 92-year-old leader, who looks increasingly frail and struggles to walk, would follow suit when he is travelling through his country.

UgandaInsert9

Some people have tried to recreate the scene, but it is not clear whether Mr Mugabe will take up the challenge.

UgandaInsert10

UgandaInsert11

Source: BBC

Leave a Reply