Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni who is campaigning in Rwenzori sub region has blamed the Constituency Assembly delegates of 1995 for not including the President in the law making process and just limiting it to Parliament.
Mr Museveni reasoned that because of this, Parliament has failed to handle his views well thereby failing some projects he would want as priority.
“In the writing of the 1995 Constitution, they did not put the President in matters of making the law. They said that Parliament shall legislate and President’s role is to assent to these laws and if he doesn’t twice, it automatically becomes law,” he said on Wednesday at Boma grounds in Fort Portal City where he met leaders and youths from the seven districts of Tooro sub-region.
He blamed some of the Opposition figures like Dr Kizza Besigye who was part of the Constituency Assembly and the two Presidential candidates Generals Henry Tumukunde and Mugisha Muntu, who were once MPs for making him fail to have power over legislations and budget allocations.
Mr Museveni was particularly responding to Kabarole District chairman, Mr Richard Rwabuhinga, who read a very long list representing unfulfilled pledges in the region since 2013. Among them is the tourism and security roads, gazetting the refugees, Shs 300 million he pledged for Bunyangabu District headquarters in 2017, a 60,000 seater regional stadium at Kyembogo.
According to Museveni, the constitution would have led to a crisis if Uganda had a leader who panics a lot, adding that he has been fighting MPs for prioritizing funds over key projects.
He told Rwabuhinga who represented all the seven district heads that the long list can be handled by the NRM government very easily who priority at the moment is completing roads first.
“Our government now has the money from taxes paid by foreign investors (like MTN) that can do anything but we can do all at once. What is important is you to send MPs who are able to distribute well,” he said.
The President said it is now the duty of the NRM leaders now to tell the people that the NRM government is the only one that can solve the problems of all Ugandans, citing the example of the desert locusts that invaded the country but never devastated any garden.
He advised the NRM leaders to go and preach the contribution of NRM on the good governance of Uganda and gave an example of a strong army which brings peace.
He said the NRM ideology is not a matter of propaganda and not a matter of public relations but a matter of life and death because what the NRM does is to identify problems and find solutions.
“Those who are shouting, I wish you good luck. The story of NRM is written and it is clear, there is no one who can defeat you if you explain this story very well. That is why they jump while talking Oyee oyee, have you seen me jumping Oyee oyee”
He advised the people not to be overwhelmed by cultural identity rather than issues that affect all like roads.
“Let the cultural leaders deal with the issues of culture like my son King Oyo (of Tooro) and matters of going to heaven to the religious leaders like my brother Bishop Muhirwa (Bishop of Fort Portal diocese) and matters of solving secular needs of Ugandans to politicians” he said advised.
On the sidelines, Gender minister Frank Tumwebaze told journalists that in the last 5 years the NRM government had done a lot in the Rwenzori sub region, mostly construction of some roads that support tourism and trade. He gave an example of Fort Portal-Kamwenge road, Fort Portal-Bundibugyo, Fort Portal-Kyenjojo, Fort Portal-Kasese roads.
Earlier on, the president commissioned the 49 kms Fort Portal-Kyenjojo road that he said was constructed at Shs119 billion funded by taxes collected in Uganda.
Voices
Tusiime Francis, a District youth publicity secretary Kyenjojo
I support the ideas of NRM personally because it benefits the interests of the community. Kyenjojo has benefited from NRM government Nyamango Technical Institutes, Kijwiga skills development center. It has also given me an opportunity to innovate St Francis Vocational Institute Kyenjojo.
However, President Museveni is not involving youth much in administration and we feel the old people are failing the party since they are not talking for the party but just using the party to accumulate wealth.
Gilbert Kayondo, Youth
The President has talked about industrialization as a way of solving youth unemployment, which is good. The youth should be involved in most government programmes.
Compiled Misairi Thembo Kahungu, Felix Basiime & Enid Ninsiima
