NRM government most corrupt - Besigye

Dr Kizza Besigye speaks at a rally in Kasese District on Thursday. Photo by Morris Mumbere

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Record. FDC presidential candidate says since Independence, no government has been as corrupt

KASESE.

The FDC presidential candidate yesterday traversed parts of Kasese District, rallying people to turn out in large numbers on voting day to help rid Uganda of what he described as the most corrupt government, the country has ever had.

“Since independence, there is no government that [has been] as corrupt as this,” he said, adding: “I want Ugandans to be liberators in this election.”

In Mahango Sub-county where he held the first of a string of mini-rallies, Dr Besigye’s graphic description of the ruling establishment resonated with the audience. The locals had just told him in Kibiri that the Resident District Commissioner, Maj James Mwesige, rushed to commission an incomplete road in their area recently. “The road commissioned still has to be smoothened. It has no trenches which can allow running water to move freely to avoid damage,” Dr Besigye agreed with them.

He then asked for prayers, telling the people that his back could easily get broken due to the poor roads that he has been driving over since the campaigns started.

Uganda continues to rank among the most corrupt countries in the world with global watchdog, Transparency International’s corruption perception index of 2014 placing the country just behind Kenya as the second most graft-ridden nation in East Africa.

The farming community of Mahango will have been pleased to hear the candidate speak about the transport difficulties they face because of the very poor roads which makes accessing the market a nightmare for an area that is otherwise well-known for growing one of the country’s leading cash crops, coffee.

The FDC man also hammered away at one of his favourite campaign lines, reminding the people that it is through their vote that the country can be returned to Ugandans. He told his audience that contrary to what is being said by its leaders on the campaign trail, there is nothing that the NRM government can do in the next five years to redeem its failures over the last 30 years it has been in office

He said his government, if given the mandate, has good proposals on how to improve the welfare of everyday Ugandans, echoing his promise to lift the circumstances of primary teachers whose salary will be increased to Shs650,000 while secondary teachers will be getting Shs1 million per month.

Dr Besigye said the money to improve the lot of low income public sector workers can easily be found by slashing the number of ministers and eliminating the office of Resident District Commissioner which he again said does not add much value to the country.

He promised to establish a farmers’ bank to help with crop finance and to set up more robust irrigation schemes.
After Thursday’s campaign events in Mahangoy, Kyalumba, Bukonzo East, Bwera Town and Bukonzo West, Dr Besigye was last night expected to appear on a talk show on one local radio in Kasese Town ahead of todday’s main events in Busongora South and North constituencies, Maliba Sub-county and in Kasese Municipality.