Besigye pledges to revive industries

Supporters of FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye (C) mount a guard of honour for him as he arrived for a rally in Buikwe District yesterday. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA

Buikwe- FDC presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye yesterday spelled out his plan to industrialise Uganda should he win next year’s election.

Speaking at Njeru Town Council in Buikwe District, which is a stone throw away from Jinja Town, Dr Besigye bemoaned the decline of Jinja as an industrial town and pledged to industrialise the country with direct assistance from government.

“Jinja was a great industrial town but all the industries were killed and we are waiting for Indians and Chinese to build industries here,” he said. The FDC candidate was referring to President Museveni’s policy of attracting foreign investment, which he blamed for what he called “universal” unemployment and putting the economy in the hands of non-Ugandans.

Joint ownership
“We shall start industries and create employment (and) sell you shares in those industries so that we can start new ones,” Dr Besigye said.

Earlier in the day, he had promised the people of Senyi Landing Site, a fishing community, that his government will establish a fish processing factory in which they will be free to buy shares.

At the landing site, Dr Besigye had drawn applause by taking a swipe at the authorities he blamed for selling illegal fishing nets to fishermen and later impounding them, in the process levying fines on those involved.

He called on his supporters to vote out the NRM government, which he said is built on the principle of “exploiting the majority to service a clique”.

His supporters continued with what is now becoming a tradition of offering him money and at Senyi, he was offered a big tilapia to accompany the money.

Dr Besigye was yet to address the main rally at Lugazi by the time of filing this report.