Opposition are liars, says Museveni

President Museveni (atop a vehicle) addresses supporters at a rally in Jinja Municipality yesterday. PHOTO BY PPU

Mbale- Ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni has labelled Opposition leaders liars and warned Ugandans against voting them.

Addressing his supporters at the Cricket Ground in Mbale Municipality yesterday, Mr Museveni likened constituencies that vote the Opposition to people who commit suicide and expect to be mourned.

The President, who is seeking a fifth elective term in office, said: “It would be a blunder to entrust liars with power. The Opposition leaders are liars. They just talk,” he told the voters.
However, Masaka Municipality MP Mathias Mpuga said the NRM presidential candidate is panicking because change is coming.
This was the second time the President was campaigning in Bugisu, a sub-region considered one of the NRM blackspots yet it remains one of the Opposition strongholds.
Mr Museveni said he exposed some of the lies traded by the Opposition when he attended the second presidential debate on Sunday.

About debate
“I debated and exposed some of their lies they are trading to get sympathy from you. But I did not get enough time to expose more,” he said.

He also explained that the Opposition leaders have succeeded in blindfolding the voters in some areas because the NRM Secretariat under former prime minister Amama Mbabazi had failed to do its duties.

“The secretariat that is supposed to educate you and help you make informed decision was killed by Mbabazi and he buried it,” Mr Museveni told the voters.

The incumbent, who been at the helm for 30 years, said the government strategy to prioritise peace and stability in the country has brought in more visitors who have established factories and industries for both job creation and tax revenue.

Riding on the prevailing stability in the country, increased revenue collections, a strong army and development in key sectors such as infrastructure, Mr Museveni considers himself the only capable leader who can maintain the peace and at the same time deal with the endemic unemployment challenges facing the country.

The President also explained that his government collects more than Shs588 billion from MTN, Shs197 billion from Nile Breweries Ltd, Shs154 billion from Airtel and other companies, which he said is a sign that the country is on steady progress, the flagship of his re-election campaign.

If re-elected on Thursday, Mr Museveni promised to introduce five Mwananchi funds- Naads, youth fund, women fund, innovation fund and microfinance fund to help the people get out of poverty through increased household incomes.

He promised to fix roads and connect unserved areas to the national power grid in the next five years. In particular, Mr Museveni said in the next five years, his government will construct additional 2,025km of tarmac roads. Currently, the country has about 6,000km up from 1,000 in 1986.

After touting himself as the only leader with a vision at the second presidential debate, President Museveni, however, said he is not the only person who can lead Uganda but said his rivals are too weak to be presidents.