BY-ELECTIONS
We would like in a special way to applaud our supporters in Bukimbiri constituency for having exhibited resilience in the last by election against all the NRM trickery deployed and intimidation, we salute you.
And we remind the country that there is a forthcoming election in Busongora south constituency, having successfully nominated our candidate last week, we call upon all the people in Busongora South to support Mr Kighema Alozius Baguma as he is the right candidate to front their agenda in the national assembly.
The FDC, would like to move a vote of thanks to all Kenyans for having exhibited high levels of civic competence in the past week and by casting their votes peacefully.
We also congratulate the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for organizing credible free and fair elections.
Kenya has not come to realize this dream in one day, it has been the interplay of transitional politics by the incumbent simply because they want to keep a bright and positive long lasting legacy as political heads.
Asante Sana
COSTING CORRUPTION
The Anti-corruption court judge Lawrence Gidudu ‘lost interest’ in keeping former principal accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister Geoffrey Kazinda jailed, because the pertinent issue would be recovery of the lost monies squandered on behalf of the government amounting to a tune of 306.8millions under Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) project for West Nile and northern Uganda.
As, the FDC we propose to government to copy examples from its fellow African countries that have made corruption so costly by deploying blind punitive measures like in the recent Malawian case where The Anti-Corruption Bureau in Malawi arrested its former director, Reyneck Matemba, and the Director of Malawi’s Public Procurement Agency Suzi-Banda during Malawi’s 20-week-long anti-graft campaign which the Chakwera Administration launched last month. Both are expected to be officially charged with abuse of power and could face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
Lastly we task the government to walk the talk of the fight against corruption because the tax payer is the victim at last.
STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Finance Minister Kasaija while meeting with the parliamentary committee of Finance said that the economy is struggling but it will be fine. The minister was taked to openly reveal different mitigations aimed at saving the ailing economy having learnt that government is stuck with numerous unfunded projects citing lack of financial resources, struggling in quest to finding the funds for the first quarter of the financial year ending in September. Kasaija humorously said as quoted “the economy is not dead as claimed by some, but it is limping”.
FDC urges the government to embark on transparency towards informing its citizenry about the plans it intends to implement. The status quo has gone on forever and the situation is getting out hand and we strongly propose to the government to prioritize spending in key ministries and projects that have a direct positive impact on revitalizing the economy such as agriculture, finance, health, trade and industry, but instead has continued on a path of extravagancy especially in the State House .
We also have information from reliable sources from within the diplomatic circles about the dire situation of Uganda’s diplomatic missions abroad due to the recent budgetary cuts by the finance ministry.
The continued installation of political appointees as heads and employees characterized by nepotistic tendencies rather than meritocratic system being put in place to avert no most of the inadequacies in our diplomatic offices by government as the chief supervisor .
The question is, how does the government expect to achieve its foreign policy without a healthy working diplomatic body ?
FOOD INSECURITY
Uganda is being faced with a looming danger of food insecurity shown by the recent erratic climatic patterns characterized by long droughts in the Northeast especially in Karamoja sub region and strong torrential downpours in areas of Rwenzori and Elgon, which could lead to worsening of the food security situation in the country without forgetting the ever increasing food prices in the local and global markets.
As the FDC, we task the government to further opt for alternative methods of communal mechanized farming of installation of modern farms nearest to both human settlements and water sources in areas of Karamoja as long-term initiative rather than embarking on supply of food rations to the famine hit areas which is not sustainable in the long run.
Water retention farming practices should also be empathized in areas that are largely affected by floods and running water especially in the regions of Elgon and Rwenzori by the introduction of terracing like it has been effective in the Kigezi Sub region, as this has kept it a food basket in the recent past thus not being vulnerable to running water resulting into crop damage .
Lastly, we call upon all Ugandans to continue asking the NRM government the hard questions and, encourage the citizens to live within their own means while going through these tough financial times as it’s the way to survival .
One Uganda, One People
For God and My Country
JOHN KIKONYOGO
FDC DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON