Karuhanga Chapaa

By Vision Reporter l Born on March 8, 1952 in Bushenyi District. l In 1971, got involved in student movements against Idi Amin's regime. l In 1974 he was recruited into an opposition group led by Matayo Oling to fight Idi Amin. l While still a student at Makerere in 1976, was detained at Makindye Military Prison. He escaped from prison later that year and went to Kenya, whose government tried to repatriate him. He then had to flee to Tanzania where he met Milton Obote. l In 1977 he joined the University of Zambia. In 1978 he disagreed with Obote and they separated. l In 1979 he was National Youth Coordinator in the Political and Diplomatic Commission of Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF). After disagreements on strategies, he resigned his post and registered the Self Reliance Facilitating Company, of which he is chairman. This was to mobilise Ugandan professionals so that Uganda could build its own local capacity in technical fields, instead of depending on foreign firms and consultants. l Graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences degree from the University of Zambia, Lusaka, in 1981. l In 1984, served a brief jail term on suspicion of having dealing with the Museveni rebels. l In 1990 he formed the National Democrats Forum (NDF) "to bring multi-party democracy, national unity and to improve the welfare of Ugandans with self reliance as the cornerstone of the economic development programme." l Obtained a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Pacific Western University, Los Angeles, USA in 1995. Chapaa promises to: w Respect individual freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution w Promote human rights and desirable social values w Restore multi-party democracy and form a Political Parties Liaison Council to define the relationship between the ruling party and the opposition w Pursue a mixed economy in which Government and the private sector both make investments w Focus on import substitution to help local producers benefit w Fight corruption w Diversify exports w Review the taxation policy w Strengthen capacity of citizens in consultancy and construction industries (Ugandan firms will have a 30-50% participation in every contract undertaken by a foreign firm.) w Throw out cost-sharing in schools, universities and hospitals w Institute a loan scheme for students in higher institutions of learning w Improve infra-structure, especially the road network w Revive the cooperative movement to fill in gaps left by the private sector and provide extension services to farmers to revive morale in production of certain crops w Create a better version of Universal Primary education w Pursue peace with neighbours, as a pre-requisite to sustainable peace Ends