Ofwono Opondo was today sworn in as the MP for the Elderly (Eastern Uganda) but he declined to hold a Bible or any other religious book while taking the oath.
Dressed in a dark navy Kaunda suit and accompanied by one of his daughters, Opondo approached the podium with some dose of confidence.
When a parliamentary clerk asked which holy book he would use, his answer was simple: none. He raised his right hand and recited both the parliamentary oath and the oath of allegiance to the constitution, unassisted by scripture of any kind.
While the moment could have caught some observers off guard, those familiar with Opondo were less surprised. The former executive director of the Uganda Media Centre has never been affiliated with any religion and has, on several occasions, stated plainly that he does not believe in a biblical God.
Some years ago, following a period of illness, his wife invited religious leaders to their home in Mukono for a thanksgiving service. Opondo declined to leave the bedroom, informing his wife, with characteristic bluntness, that he had not asked anyone to pray for him.
On what he intends to do for the elderly in Eastern Uganda, Opondo said he will focus squarely on healthcare access, citing diabetes, high blood pressure, prostate conditions and arthritis as the diseases most in need of targeted insurance cover.
“My way of, first of all, having annual medical examinations is that if you know what you have, then you can avoid certain things. I think the government can provide health insurance for those four or five diseases which are very common,” Opondo said.
