The rise and rise fall of Norbert Mao [Explainer]

As Ssemujju warned, Mao did run for president, and he now calls himself “a one-man army” whenever he virulently attacks the opposition.

Mao's signs agreement to work the NRM Pulse

Where did it all go wrong?

In 1996, Norbert Mao declared that he would be president in 2006.

"I have no doubt," he said.

Back then, he was a fledgling 29-year-old Member of Parliament who had just defeated State Minister for Northern Uganda, Betty Oyella Bigombe (BOB).

After a ten-year stint in the then Ugandan Parliament, National Resistance Council, from 1986 until 1996, BOB came up against Mao and was defeated despite the National Resistance Army circling the wagons around her candidacy and trying to stop Mao from being elected.

Stoic philosopher Mao Pulse

Mao thus rode into parliament with a low fade haircut which made him look like a chocolate Vanilla Ice.

His brains, charisma and speaking ability combined into a hat-trick which attracted scores of supporters.

Then he married the gaze-magnet Naomi Achieng Odongo and it was official: Mao was the guy 'schoolboys admire, young girls desire.'

The backstory is that he had allegedly stolen Naomi from another man, Dr Ogenga Otunnu, who was a lecturer at the York University in Canada and had married Naomi at the Newham's registrar office in East London [UK] on 21st August 1998.

Mao’s fortunes go pear-shaped

It was at this point, his fortunes started to decline.

He was rumoured to have been bought and paid for by Museveni after his financial problems became Goliaths that he didn't have a slingshot to deal with.

Illness then seemingly ensured his name seemed better suited to a tombstone than the touchstone of future leadership.

It's said the NRM government showed up with the Calvary to defer his last breath by paying his medical bills and thereby saving his life.

His health restored; Mao was apparently a changed man.

He seemed bullish, his opponents said that the newly polished brass balls in his pants were courtesy of protection from soldiers of Special Forces Command (SFC).

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party signs a working cooperation agreement with the Democratic Party (DP) at State House, Entebbe. Pulse

DP disintegrates

Immediately, eleven Members of Parliament who previously subscribed to the DP announced their departure in 2020 to join the National Unity Platform (NUP), a party headed by then Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

Those who crossed were Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona, Bukoto East MP Florence Namayanja, Bukomansimbi Woman MP Veronica Nanyondo, Kyotera Woman MP Robinah Ssentongo, Butambala County MP Muwanga Kivumbi, Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga, Masaka Municipality MP Mathias Mpuuga, Mukono municipality MP Betty Nambooze, Makindye Ssaabagabo MP Ssempala Emmanuel Kigozi, Makindye West MP Allan Ssewayana and Moses Kasibante.

Their crossing brought to 16, the number of MPs that the party had lost in less than one month. The others were Francis Zaake–Mityana municipality, Patrick Nsamba Oshabe–Kassanda South, John Baptist Nambeshe–Manjiya, David Kalwanga–Busujju and Latif Ssebaggala–Kawempe North.

The great DP was called the Dead Party, under Mao.

Today, Mao is rumoured to be on his way to taking up the position of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the National Resistance Movement government.