The National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) President Yoweri Museveni has thanked the NRM leaders of Kampala for their unwavering support to the party and urged them to support programs tailored at lifting people out of poverty.
The President made the call yesterday while addressing Kampala NRM village Chairpersons who had gathered at Kololo Independence grounds to discuss matters of National Development as well as those affecting wanainchi in their areas.
While commenting on some of the concerns raised by leaders in their memorandum presented on their behalf by the NRM chairperson of Kawempe Division Mayombwe Daniel Kigozi, President Museveni urged all leaders to understand the issue of Public Service and Socio-Economic Transformation.
The National Chairperson first told leaders of the type of governance that existed during the colonial days that bred massive corruption through their bureaucracy strengthening their resolve during the peoples protracted struggle not to allow the wanainchi themselves to elect their leaders.
“This is the origin of the LC system. The Gombolola, Saza and Parish Chiefs were not enough to run the administration, so we opted for a parallel administration,” he said.
The President pointed out that a new challenge emerged of wages as the number of public servants increased and yet funds were needed for the construction of roads, electricity, health facilities and other social services.
He said in the coming budget, the government will need over shs 50 trillion and out of that shs 8 trillion will be for wages.
The President said that is the reason why the concept of leader’s SACCOs was mooted and deemed more appropriate and workable because the government will be putting in some money for the current and past leaders to use and it will act as their bank that will grow as more funds will be sent to the SACCOs annually.
On the Socio-Economic Transformation, President Museveni asked leaders to encourage wanainchi to embrace the Parish Development Model for those in rural areas and the urbanites can use the peri-urban model as well as take advantage of the increased production that will accrue from the PDM to buy and sell farmers produce, process or even get involved in services.
President Museveni also welcomed the idea of providing wanainchi with working spaces in the markets as well as the artisan groups. He added that the same will be done for the skilling centers that will be expanded.
On education, the President said that more primary and secondary seed schools will be availed but insisted on affordable education through day schools as boarding ones take more money on things that don’t have any bearing to education like feeding and sleeping among others.
“I want you to understand the concept of affordable education as opposed to boarding that increases charges that have nothing to do with education like sleeping, eating and so on. Each division or even constituency should have seed schools. The parents also don’t bear the costs. They only concentrate on teachers, laboratories and houses,” he said.
On the rigging of votes President Museveni promised to discuss the issue when he meets leaders from all Kampala divisions.
On having a clean city, the President said garbage bins should be placed at every 200 meters within Kampala city.
“I don’t want to see rubbish scattered on the roadsides No,” he stressed.
The National Chairman of the NRM Party, President Yoweri Museveni pledged to meet all NRM leaders from all divisions separately to further discuss their concerns.
The Secretary General of NRM Hon. Richard Todwong expressed his gratitude for the support NRM supporters have for their National Chairman President Museveni. He therefore urged the Chairman when time comes to offer himself to be re-elected for the Presidency as his age more than qualifies him for the position.
“I am excited by the love your people are expressing for you. When time comes, please offer yourself in 2026. Take this seriously. You don’t have time to say NO. Your age is the best age to be a President with your experience and wisdom,” he pointed out.
The Minister for Kampala Hajjati Minsa Kabanda appreciated governments programs of Emyooga and the PDM as well as the markets that have been provided to hawkers.
Other leaders at the meeting included the Vice Secretary General of NRM Hon. Rose Namayanja, the Director for Mobilization at the NRM Secretariat Hon. Rosemary Sseninde as well as Senior Officials from the NRM Secretariat.
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