FULL MANIFESTO: What I will do in 100 days - Mbabazi
Amama Mbabazi
What you need to know:
Health matters. Mr Mbabazi promises to build 200, 000 toilets to improve sanitation nationwide.
Kampala.
Independent presidential candidate, Amama Mbabazi, last evening announced a raft of his intended governance reforms, including lowering taxes, creating four million jobs within five years and increasing salaries, but put no budget or funding source.
At the launch of his manifesto at Serena Conference Centre in Kampala, Mr Mbabazi looked beyond the remaining 10 weeks of the gruelling campaigns and flagged restoration of presidential term limits among the 13 changes that he, when elected, plans to implement in the first 100 days of his presidency.
The others, he said, include amending the Leadership Code Act to bolster the Ombudsman to access financial records of public officers and compare with their declared wealth; allow under 30-year-olds to snap up elective urban council and Sub-county positions; freeze future government spending at the 2014/15 Financial Year budget level and invest the savings in productive sectors.
Mr Mbabazi pledged to cut wastage and downsize cabinet from the current 70-plus to 42 ministers, reduce State House budget by 60 per cent; and stop disputed land transactions.
He pledged to introduce a law allowing citizens to privately prosecute the corrupt and earn 25 per cent of recovered monies, establish salary review commission, prepare master plans for major towns, reform the transport sector, amend Sports laws to re-organise the sector, implement copy rights to promote innovation, and popularise community service.
The ex-premier arrived an hour late for the manifesto launch, but his request for a minute silence in memory of his agent and a boda-boda leader, Swalik Mawejje Wasswa, whom he said was “killed” while returning from his Mbarara Saturday rally, held over the audience like a spell.
“If we find there was foul play, we shall fight to the last for justice,” he said to a silenced, fully-packed room.
His late arrival, at 4.05pm, followed a suspense and anxiety akin to his mid-year delayed declaration to run for President. Democratic Party president Norbert Mao and Mbabazi’s daughter, Racheal, who is substituting her indisposed mother on the campaign trail, escorted the GoForward candidate to the lectern amid thunderous applause.
He aimed his sharpest barbs at corrupt public officials and a lethargic government, which he served as prime minister until September 2014, animating his audience drawn from diverse backgrounds and regions with a punch line that President Museveni, whom he didn’t call by name, never understood the difference between SACCOs and cooperative societies. The former, he said, was about willing citizens pooling savings together for borrowing while the latter related to an enterprise that strengthens the bargaining power of farmers.
The corrupt will be pursued “swiftly and without mercy”, Mr Mbabazi said. While in government, parliament investigated Mr Mbabazi, then prime minister, for allegedly selling land to NSSF and allegations that he and other Cabinet colleague picked bribe from foreign oil companies kicked up national storm.
He was subsequently cleared of these allegations alongside his impugned role in the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
Mr Museveni, whom he is seeking to dislodge, described Mr Mbabazi at the time as a “clean man” targeted for political reasons.
Unlike other Opposition politicians who vilify Uganda’s armed services as oppressors, Mr Mbabazi who previously superintended both the Security and Defence ministries struck a different chord: praising the UPDF for keeping Uganda and the region safe before committing to improve their welfare. “These are the pledges I make to you and you can hold me accountable when the time comes,” the ex-premier said to wild cheers.
Both he and his team clung to The Democratic Alliance banner even when the Opposition attempts to front a joint presidential flag bearer faltered months ago.
Mr Mao, who is coordinating the political wing of Mbabazi’s campaign and chaired the manifesto committee, described him as now a repeat “rebel leader” who will deliver change. To reinforce his message, Mr Mao quoted from the Holy Bible Book of Exodus 14:15, which reads: “And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward…”
