The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has criticized President Museveni’s ongoing nationwide tour calling it a “useless campaign aimed at creating a poor and vulnerable population dependent on handouts from a permanently vote-seeking ruler.
In a statement released today signed by the Party Spokesperson Hon. Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, FDC raised concern over the amount of money the President has spent on nationwide tours for which they say will not create impact to the welfare of citizens.
“While officially Mr. Museveni allocated himself a whole Shs 31.6 billion for inland travel under vote 002 (State House) during the financial year 2018, he processed through Parliament an additional Shs 17.5 billion to specifically finance these useless campaign tours” the statement reads in part.
According to the President, the campaign tours are part of a bigger development strategy to get majority of Ugandans out to subsistence economy.
Majority of Ugandans about 68% still live in subsistence economy and need big direct help and intervention.
FDC claims that President Museveni has officially spent Shs 33.2 billion just on tours in three months bribing councilors with Shs 300,000= transport refund who in return are required to pass a resolution declaring him sole presidential candidate/life president.
Efforts to reach the government’s spokesperson Mr. Ofwono Opondo for a comment on the matter were futile as our telephone calls remained unanswered.
The statement also asserts that Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) which President Museveni declared five years ago, has been disastrous as all other earlier campaign slogans including Entandikwa, Modernization of Agriculture, and Prosperity for All (Bonna Baggagawale) because the aim was never to help the population out of poverty since up to today, 70% of Ugandans still produce for the stomach.
FDC also took a swipe at government for dispersing meetings of opposition party leaders convened to carry out legitimate party activities.
The statement cites opposition gatherings where FDC leaders are arrested and brutalized even when they have communicated to Police as required under the Public Order and Management Act.
President Yoweri Museveni is currently on a nationwide wealth creation campaign emphasizing the need for households to target improved income through abandoning subsistence farming in favor of commercial farming.
The President’s nationwide campaign has covered areas of Central, South Western, Eastern and North Eastern regions of Uganda.