After the nomination exercise for presidential candidates being successfully conducted and completed, attention has now been shifted to what the nominated candidates have to offer. Many promises have been made by the aspirants, others understandably genuine, and others clearly so unrealistic just to woe support.
John Katumba, the youngest aspirant vowed to create job opportunities to curb the rampant unemployment in youths. He also assertively noted that he would ensure all Ugandans own houses.
“I am going to fight poverty. Poverty is everywhere. There is nothing impossible,” Katumba said.
The fresh graduate from Makerere while addressing the press noted that he would without fail fight for woman empowerment and make sure the women are safe, sound and rich, besides beating unemployment and land grabbing.
“I will work on human trafficking and will ensure young Ugandans who are taken to work abroad are not mistreated,” the youthful aspirant said.
He also noted that the Ugandan currency was devalued and Uganda was importing more and exporting less and yet the companies importing were not owned by Ugandans.
He added that he has a dream of making Uganda a great nation and would ensure he builds high-quality roads contracted by Ugandan companies.
The 25-year-old who had earlier on been sent away by EC after failing to pay shs20m and lacking a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) noted that he had chosen a symbol of the table because he wanted everything solved on it, shortly after turning up against all odds at the nomination centre on the last day of the process having ultimately met all the set conditions.
From the Red camp, youthful Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine who is representing the newly formed National Unity Platform (NUP) in the presidential race immediately after his nomination declared that he is in running in this election to represent the weak and the poor.
“I am offering myself as a candidate for the highest position of this country as a representative of the oppressed Ugandans. My background is well known,” Bobi Wine, who hails from the Kamwokya Ghettos stated.
He added, “I take this moment to announce that what we are witnessing now is the launch of a critical phase in our struggle to liberate our country from a dictatorship that has crippled us for over four decades.”
Bobi intimated that he intends to stand up for the youth, journalists, and health workers who are paid peanuts. He promised that there would be access to affordable health care for all Ugandans with effective supervision, if he’s elected into power.
“I am representing poor Ugandans who have lost land to powerful land grabbers. In the New Uganda, there will be mutual love between those in uniform and the citizens. I intend to increase the pay of the security forces, the lowest earning officer will be getting UGX. 1 million, and streamline promotions in the security forces based on merit, not technical-know who,” he emphatically stated.
The incumbent president, Yoweri Museveni publicly declared his intentions, motives and views on how genuine he thinks his request to ask for another five years in the country’s top most office is, having been in power for the past 35 years.
Museveni this week launched his five-year reelection manifesto for the 2021 general elections.
The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party presidential candidate, said the 2021-2026 manifesto, under the theme “securing your future” focuses on five priority areas which include, creating wealth and jobs, delivering education and health, ensuring justice and equity, protecting life and property, and achieving economic and political integration.
“My priorities are defense, we must always have a strong army, then I add electricity, roads and railway, health, education and paying government scientists well and wealth funds,” said Museveni.
“This manifesto builds on the success of NRM. NRM has an unmatched record of performance and a clear vision of securing your future. We are now ready for takeoff,” he said.
He said after years of turmoil, it is the first time ever that Uganda has enjoyed more than three decades of uninterrupted stable democratic process based on the ruling party’s core principles of democracy, patriotism, pan-Africanism and socio-economic transformation.
“In order to accelerate Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, I appeal to you for a fresh mandate for NRM to continue leading the country,” said Museveni.
Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, chairperson of the Electoral Commission earlier on Monday declared Museveni, who has been in power for over 30 years as a duly nominated presidential candidate for next year’s polls.
Legislators in 2017 voted to remove the age limit of 75, paving way for Museveni, who is now 76 to run for the presidency in the 2021 polls.
According to a previous law in Uganda, people over the age of 75 were not allowed to run for the presidency.
By Baron Kironde
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