The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) leader Joseph Kabuleta Kizza has pointed out bad leadership and greedy politicians as the major reasons as to why Ugandans are suffering socially, politically and economically.
Mr Kabuleta made the revelation during NEED’s National Dialogue Conference that took place at Serena Hotel, Kampala on Monday where representatives from all the 14 regions in Uganda converged to discuss the common problems citizens are facing due to the existence of natural resources within their areas.
The former Presidential candidate 2021 said the current regime has intentionally put in place an unfavorable system that keeps majority of Ugandans in abject poverty since poor people are easy to control and rule.
“What I found while moving around this country, is that Uganda is the only country with people languishing in stinking poverty yet they are seated on natural wealth that is benefiting a small group of people. This small group of people actually believe they own the country and they see us as squatters. They completely think they own us, they divided Uganda among themselves,” Mr Kabuleta disclosed.
The vocal government critic added that the ruling class, has continued to make the common people suffer by illegally taking away their land using government agencies and the national army to scare away the vulnerable citizens.
“That yellow party was created to keep one family in power, so to all those in yellow party bragging that our party.. our party…, stand warned that if you are not a member of that family, you are a field slave who eats leftovers. Yet all of us here have a stake in this country. And that is the politics I want in Uganda, we are all equal nobody is second or first class.”
The journalist turned politician also assured Ugandans that they still have a chance to get hold of their country again if they unite and fight for what rightly belongs to them despite of their political, ethnicity and religious differences.
“We shall get it back and even be stakeholders in it, and we will never give it back.”
Mr Kabuleta also revealed that because of Uganda’s greedy managers who only care about themselves, the country is full of political and Tribal divisionisms that could in future lead to scaring and dangerous scenarios such as wars.
“The division I see in this country is scaring, absolutely scaring, there are things which I have seen and I just keep quiet but they are very frightening because there was a time when we were one country but now you go to some places and they say for us we are not part of Uganda, then Northern Uganda they say for us we will do a Nile republic with West Nile but yet we are in Uganda. Nevertheless, don’t lose hope in the project Uganda. It can still work, one bad leadership cannot cause us to hate our country.”
Renowned Muslim scholar Imam Idi Kasozi who was also among the key speakers noted that due to poor management of Uganda by those in power, citizens have lost hope. He said the current government is basically taking care of a small clique of people and a few privileged families thus leaving majority of Ugandans suffering.
He added that the present regime has turned religious leaders into beggars and puppets who work for them instead of working and uplifting their subordinates.
“Let’s be sincere and look at our religious organizations (Muslims, Christians etc) are they still independent? So all our religious leaders are receivers except a few but the majority of them are dependent on the forces of the regime and therefore they cannot empower their followers,” said Imam Kasozi before urging fellow leaders to rediscover themselves through mindset change.
On her part, the former chairperson of Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda-CCEDU, Miria Matembe called on Ugandans to look up to God as they pray for the revival of their country which has been mismanaged by a few people in power.
“This country’s motto is For God and My Country however it has become for God and My stomach and my clan. Love your neighbour as you love yourself has turned into love wealth and positions. What nation is this? However irrespective of the evils done on the land of Uganda, we should give God gratitude because with all the idolatry and killings we have witnessed in this country, God has not destroyed us. Nevertheless, we must also repent because all of us have sinned before God,”the former Ethics Minister said.
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