Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) strongman Dr. Kiiza Besigye has said he doesn’t trust the structures handling donations towards efforts to fight cornavirus in Uganda and therefore he cannot donate.
Dr. Besigye made the remarks during a live TV interview with NBS television in a program -Morning Breeze hosted by Simon Kaggwa Njala.
Besigye says the structures handling donations are not legally constituted but also lack credibility to undertake the task.
“I will not donate to things I do not trust. We should have a legal and institutional framework everyone trusts and relates to.” Besigye said.
He said, the National Task Force under the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) which oversees the donations does not emanate from a legal known framework.
“The office of the Prime Minister is highly discredited because of the grave cases of corruption. If you are irrational in a crisis, you just go deeper into it.” He said.
Besigye however lauded individuals and entities who have generously and genuinely donated towards the fight against coronavirus, but expressed fear that some donors have evil intentions.
“What you are seeing now as giving must be questioned. A lot of it is some form of corruption, they are buying favour.” He added.
On the government’s strategy and management plan to combat COVID-19, Besigye -a medical doctor by profession commended government’s immediate response plan in terms of controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
He says the initial measures put in place including the lockdown are necessary since the COVID-19 disease is highly contagious.
“If it was me i would have called for a lockdown earlier; a week before and i think the measures that have been taken are the not only the right measures but also the ones recommended by WHO.” Besigye added.
He also challenged government for not coming up with a clear plan on the medical professional management, and one for the socio-economic situation the pandemic has created. Besigye says these would be debated and known by the public but not just presidential directives.
Besigye accused president Museveni for using a militaristic approach in managing the fight against coronavirus, wanting to place himself in a war situation even where it’s not entirely necessary.