A photo montage of Cecilia Ogwal and President Museveni.
The phrase ‘balance the boat’ has taken Ugandans on social media by storm following the tragic boat cruise that left at least 33 revellers dead.
Most of the victims of the November 24 ill-fated boat were young, affluent Ugandans enjoying a raucous end-of-year party thrown annually by businessman Freeman Kiyimba, according to survivors.
However, the phrase balance the boat was reechoed in narrations of some of the 26 survivors including singer Iryn Namubiru.
Like most survivors who talked to the media, the Nsiimye singer said before the MV Templar capsized, the DJ kept telling the revellers to balance the boat.
Interestingly the phrase ‘balance the boat’ has instead gone viral on social media with netizens using it in whatever context they see fit.
But the new trend has now moved off social media streets and into State House.
On Friday last week President Museveni and the first lady Janet Museveni hosted the annual thanksgiving ceremony at State House in Entebbe.
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Although the ceremony brought together several dignitaries from government, private sector, diplomats and clerics, it was not devoid of humor, especially from Dokolo woman member of parliament Cecilia Atim Ogwal.
In a clip shared on some social media platforms, Ogwal is seen asking President Museveni to ‘balance the boat’ in Uganda.
“This nation belongs to the Lord. Stand and balance the boat. Your excellency President Museveni tell the Ugandans in the East, south, north, west and centre to balance the boat. Balance the boat for the Lord, balance the boat for our children, balance the boat for our economy, balance the boat for everyone,” Ms Ogwal said.
President Museveni in turn thanked Cecilia Ogwal for also ‘balancing the boat’ as his wife Janet burst into laughter.