I have never met Saleh in my life – Erias Lukwago

Kampala City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has while appearing in an interview with NBS Television‘s NBS Morning Breeze show denied ever meeting Gen Salim Saleh in his entire life.

Saleh last week allegedly wrote to Lukwago saying he has withdrawn all the political support has been rendering to him. An angry Saleh was reacting to criticism from Lukwago during the United Forces of Change New Year’s prayers at Sharing Hall in Nsambya.

Speaking to the media, Lukwago said Saleh wields a lot of power which he abuses by orchestrating an opposition witchhunt and torment while using the taxpayer’s money. This did not go down well with Saleh hence the brief missive.

“I have never met Saleh in my life and never even shaken hands with him,” Lukwago told Simon Kaggwa Njala, the interviewer. “When people are dirty, they always want to make you also look dirty and that is the irony,” he added.

“What amuses me is they think that to bring down Lukwago, let’s create a picture of him being close to us,” he further added.

Not to be drawn into discussing the letter from Saleh which he described as ‘mysterious chits’, Lukwago said people will always ‘want to drag you into the mud’ and that he hasn’t heard Saleh ‘saying anything about it.’

While the note purportedly from Saleh rebuking Lukwago was expansively shared on all social media platforms and published by many news publishers, Lukwago has dragged government-leaning New Vision newspaper to the High Court to challenge them to explain who said what.

Whereas Saleh hasn’t come out to own the two one-paged letters, State Minister in charge of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye, has been seen in the media confirming that indeed the chits were from Saleh.

Speaking to journalists at Uganda Media Centre, Kyofatogabye said that if Lukwago feared to deliver the apology being demanded by Saleh himself, the Lord Mayor can give it to him and he takes it to Saleh.

Lukwago believes the cartels and mafias out to siphon money meant for infrastructure development in the capital city are the ones creating this confusion and allegations.

“The genesis of this matter is what they want to cover up, the genesis of this matter largely is about the cartels here in Kampala who are hell-bent on siphoning off public resources,” Lukwago said, adding that he has been picking the minds of the cartels from the rumblings of Kyofatogabye.

“I have studied the world of the mafias especially when they have a ‘bindakyalakya’ speaking for them, they will always let the cat out of the bag. Kyofatogabye said, “Wait, he is going to be bumped off”.”

Asked if he is scared for his life, Lukwago said ‘I am not so scared but if it happens tonight or tomorrow, don’t be surprised.’