Makindye West Member of Parliament Hussein Kyanjo
“I have to
rehearse the words I have to say before I say them,” he said. In addition, he
easily forgets something he has just done.
For now, he has
been advised against speaking for more than ten minutes.
“It is
disheartening to go through this experience but I have nothing to do,” he said,
murmuring. The disease has clearly taken away Kyanjo’s most potent political
weapon: eloquence
MP Kyanjo suspects poisoning for his illness
on Thursday, October 25 2012 at 17:40
Mr
Kyanjo told journalists at Parliament that physicians handling him intimated to
him that the illness that afflicts him among others, is caused by poisoning.
Mr
Kyanjo said nobody in his lineage has ever suffered from such an ailment which
makes him suspect foul play.
The
outspoken legislator is the only representative of the opposition JEEMA party
in Parliament.
He
said doctors intend to find out the cause of his illness by November or
December after carrying out final tests.
He
described the disease as “dystonia of the tongue” which makes speech for
patients difficult as well as causing severe memory loss.
Dystonia
is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions
cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The disorder may
be hereditary or caused by birth-related factors or other physical
trauma, infection, poisoning or reaction to pharmaceutical drugs.
Treatment
is difficult and has been limited to minimising the symptoms of the disorder,
since there is no cure available.
Doctors cite poison in Kyanjo illness
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Doctors+cite+poison+in+Kyanjo+illness/-/688334/1598474/-/t9ygau/-/index.html
By Yasiin Mugerwa
Posted Friday, October 26 2012 at 01:00
Posted Friday, October 26 2012 at 01:00
In Summary
The Makindye West legislator says he has been
diagnosed with dystonia, a strange disease that causes difficulty opening or
closing the mouth, often affecting chewing and speech.Makindye West MP Hussein Kyanjo says he suspects poisoning as the cause of a strange disease that has left him quite sick for nearly a year. The MP, who addressed a news conference on Wednesday morning, is slowly recovering, but he is still unable to speak well and struggles to sustain a coherent conversation.
Last July, rumours spread that he had died, causing public anxiety. On Wednesday, Hajj Kyanjo, a passionate government critic and the only representative of Jeema party in the Parliament, said he had been diagnosed with dystonia of the tongue, a strange disease that causes difficulty in opening or closing the mouth, often affecting chewing and speech.
He told reporters at Parliament that doctors at a hospital in Dubai, where he had been admitted, had told him that poison was one of the possible causes of the condition. He was advised not to reveal the name of the hospital for security reasons.
“The doctors told me there are four or five causes of dystonia of the tongue. These are: If it occurred in the family before, a severe accident, physical object hitting you on the head or chest, any other aspect within the biological system mainly for people over 70 years and lastly, the most strong cause of this disease is poison,” he said.
At the news conference, he spoke with difficulty, as he narrated his ordeal. He was accompanied by Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebaggala, who helped him to articulate some of the things he was explaining. “I have reasons to suspect so many although I cannot point at anybody as the single person on earth.” He advised fellow Ugandans to stop eating from everywhere, adding that “somebody might be following you.”
Asked to substantiate his claims, Hajj Kyanjo said: “I am not here to point at a single individual, but in this country we can produce a lady and call it a man. I don’t want to point fingers that somebody gave me poison although I keep suspecting. The tests are still being investigated and the truth will come out.”
Hajj Kyanjo, who returned from treatment in Dubai a month ago, said that because of the disease, he sometimes eats and after a few minutes, he forgets that he has eaten.
The Makindye West MP was a renowned orator, but the dystonia of the tongue has had its toll on him.
Asked whether he might have inherited this disease, suffered an accident or been struck by an object, he said: “Nobody in my family has ever got this disease and I have not had any accident before. I have gone through over 100 tests and they are supposed to be investigated but they told me the causes of this disease.”
Forgiveness
He said he had forgiven those who declared him dead and thanked Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, the Parliamentary Commission, fellow MPs, the medical board and the people of Makindye for the support they had given him. He also wished Muslims a happy Idd Adhuha and said he misses Parliament.
Brigadier Noble Mayombo’s death in 2007, reportedly due to a failure of his pancreas after a short illness, sparked speculation that he might have been killed, prompting President Museveni to institute an inquiry. Later, an investigation was carried out and toxicological texts from the world’s best laboratories were conducted, which ruled out poisoning.
MP Hussein Kyanjo
Strange disease leaves MP Kyanjo down but not broken
Sunday, 28 October 2012 22:34
An articulate lawmaker, a rabble-rouser, a sobre
leader, a Buganda
kingdom enthusiast; each of these nouns would adequately describe Makindye West
MP, Hussein Kyanjo.
Rummaging through the records of Parliament,
Kyanjo’s name appears prominently in The Hansard. And he is not only
exemplary in debate but conduct too. Kyanjo is so disciplined and committed to
whatever he does that he keeps time and barely misses the plenary and
parliamentary committee debates where his contribution has been well documented.
It was, therefore, not surprising when the
African Leadership Institute (AFLI) scorecard placed him amongst the top ten
best performing lawmakers. Born in 1960, Kyanjo, who is the only member of the
Justice Forum Party in the ninth Parliament, entered the House in 2006,
replacing veteran politician Yusuf Nsubuga Nsambu. An artiste by training,
Kyanjo is one of the most respected MPs.
Once in a while he gets agitated and unleashes
his acerbic tongue. For instance, at the peak of the central government and Buganda attrition in September 2009, after
violence erupted in Buganda
following the government refusal of the Kabaka to tour Kayunga district, Kyanjo
boldly suggested that Mengo, the seat of the kingdom, should secede from Uganda.
Yet Kyanjo is one man who is always ready and
willing to reach out across the political aisle and make political compromises.
Even after a heated debate, Kyanjo can be seen chatting up a minister, trying
to put his point across and mend fences. After Dr Kizza Besigye, the FDC leader,
was incessantly sprayed with pepper as security officers brutally arrested him
last year, emotions ran high in the House. Daudi Migereko, the then government
Chief Whip, reveals that he sought Kyanjo’s counsel as to how to handle the
highly emotional debate.
“We had spent a lot of time bickering over the
video and he advised the House on how to move,” said Migereko.
The Kigulu South MP, Milton Muwuma, who chairs
the Internal Affairs and Defence committee, observes that Kyanjo’s sobre views
often come in handy to give the committee direction.
“The committee has always been persuaded to
follow his objective views despite being an opposition member,” Muwuma says. In
cases of a sharp disagreement, Kyanjo’s pacifist nature is often called upon to
suggest a way forward.
“He advises and guides the committee,” Muwuma
told The Observer.
The Bukooli Island MP, Peter Okeyoh, another
colleague on the committee, agrees with Muwuma, adding that Kyanjo is reliable
and thorough.
“He is someone who brings every detail to the attention of the committee,” he says.
“He is someone who brings every detail to the attention of the committee,” he says.
Falling ill
In March 2011, a strange ailment attacked Kyanjo.
His ability to speak and his coherence began to gradually fade away. This
strange disease known as Dystonia kept Kyanjo away from Parliament for the most
part of 2011 and 2012. It wasn’t until recently that he returned to the public
eye.
Dystonia is described as a neurological movement
disorder in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive
movements or abnormal postures. The disorder could be inherited or caused by an
accident, physical attack, poisoning or negative reaction to drugs. The disease
leads to, among others, speech difficulty. Narrating his ordeal last week,
Kyanjo told The Observer that the cause has not been identified.
“I first went to South Africa and had a medical
checkup which was not conclusive. Later, I travelled to Dubai when things worsened,” he said. Since
June, he has undergone two operations.
Unfortunately, it might take a miracle for Kyanjo to speak as eloquently as he used to.
Unfortunately, it might take a miracle for Kyanjo to speak as eloquently as he used to.
“Only Allah knows when my speech will come back
to order because this is one of the symptoms of this disease,” he said,
struggling to make the statement.
Besides, he has to deal with the side effect of memory loss caused by the drugs he uses to cure the disease.
Besides, he has to deal with the side effect of memory loss caused by the drugs he uses to cure the disease.
“I
have to rehearse the words I have to say before I say them,” he said. In
addition, he easily forgets something he has just done. He says more
than 100 tests have been carried out but the exact cause of his illness has not
been identified, and poison has not been ruled out.
“Doctors told me that it could be the probable cause,” he said. But Kyanjo’s spirit is not broken.
“Doctors told me that it could be the probable cause,” he said. But Kyanjo’s spirit is not broken.
For
now, he has been advised against speaking for more than ten minutes
and entertaining many guests at a go. Although he cannot return to normal
Parliament business just yet, Kyanjo follows what goes on with keen interest
through the media and briefing from colleagues.
“It is
disheartening to go through this experience but I have nothing to do,” he said,
murmuring. The disease has clearly taken away Kyanjo’s most potent political
weapon: eloquence. But given his unbroken spirit, positive attitude, and
belief in Allah, all is not lost.
