Mbabazi is one of the eight presidential candidates. Mbabazi told journalists at Larem Guest House in Gulu on Wednesday that having worked with Museveni for 30 years, there are set goals which the Government has deviated from, which are not in the best interest of the country.
“I have no personal problem with Museveni. I only parted with the leadership of NRM because the principles and ideology on which it was formed have been deviated from. It is not mere ambition,” Mbabazi who also once served as the secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement, said.
He said his other mission is to ensure there is peaceful transfer of power from the current to a new generation of leaders. “Peaceful transfer of government is my goal, to ensure that our path to democracy is smooth, so that the struggle we have started does not die with us. That is why I made the June 16 declaration,” Mbabazi said.
Mbabazi, who is supported by some opposition parties, also took a swipe at pro-NRM youth, clad in Museveni’s T-shirts who tried to disrupt his rally. The youth were restrained by the Police as they averted a clash while Mbabazi entered Kaunda Grounds in Gulu town.
Supporter Ivan Okello suffered multiple injuries in a scuff with rival youth. In a reaction, Mbabazi called for mature politics. “Competition should be about ideas not violence. Let voters choose by listening to what contenders have to offer. I cannot understand why people who claim to be democrats fear fair competition,”Mbabazi stated.
There was drama outside the press conference venue when a group of rowdy Mbabazi campaign mobilisers stormed the place demanding sh7m for mobilisation. Each group claimed they were promised sh100, 000 each.
Democratic Party president, Norbert Mao, intervened and gave them a deposit of sh1.3m. Mbabazi promised to revive co-operative societies by introducing a produce warehouse receipt system at each sub-county, where farmers with high value crops stored in silos can access loans from financial institutions.
“The five million jobs l talked about will be given by the private sector, when the sub-county is turned into a planning unit for development. Why should there be all this talk of poverty with all the fertile land and youthful labour at our disposal,”Mbabazi stated.
He said although government revenue has grown from $1.5b in 1986 to $30b, northern Uganda has got a very small share of this revenue. – See more at: https://www.elections.co.ug/new-vision/election/1408384/mbabazi-mpigi#sthash.mMRJLObu.dpuf
