DP urges members to embrace census
Sep 02, 2014
THE Democratic Party (DP) has appealed to all its members to support and participate in the ongoing national population and housing census and backed efforts by government to undertake punitive measures
By Nicholas Wassajja & Moses Mulondo
THE Democratic Party (DP) has appealed to all its members to support and participate in the ongoing national population and housing census.
Speaking during the party’s weekly press conference on Tuesday, the DP spokesman Fred Mwesigwa said, “We call upon DP members and all Ugandans to accept to be counted. It is for the good of our country. Even our donors need the census results to know how to help us.”
Mwesigwa also backed efforts by government to undertake punitive measures against those who either refuse to be counted or sabotage the exercise.
“Let such people face the law for sabotaging an important national exercise. Census is a non-partisan issue of national importance. It helps us to plan for the country well,” he explained.
The DP publicist appealed to government to create two public holidays if the census exercise is to be successful.
“Since it is a population and housing census which should be done in people’s homes, government needs to create some public holidays if all Ugandans are to be counted. We want to know the actual number of Ugandans not just estimation,” he explained.
The DP leaders also want government to motivate LCI chairpersons by giving them sufficient facilitation to carry out the exercise.
He faulted the NRM government over the high rate of unemployment in the country.
“Government’s planning is so poor. Any serious government comes out with an annual program for creating a certain number of jobs for the citizens. The NRM government has failed in this area,” he argued.
On the Kampala Capital City Authority wrangles, Mwesigwa warned on the likely negative consequences of the operations by the Executive Director Jennifer Musisi, which have left thousands of business structures demolished.
“Musisi has made almost everyone in Kampala to cry. People’s business kiosks have been mercilessly destroyed. Merchandize for vendors are confiscated. Tax operators and boda boda cyclists are crying. People are harbouring bitterness which can birth deadly chaos in future,” he warned.
On reports about government plan to amend the KCCA ACT to give the President power to appoint the Lord Mayor, he said, “That is total madness. President Museveni and NRM have always wanted to takeover the leadership of Kampala since 1996 but we have been defeating them. The constitution gives people power to elect their leaders.”
Considering it to be unconstitutional, he warned that if the NRM government passes the amendment they would challenge it courts of law.
The DP deputy national youth leader Moses Bigirwa appealed to the minister for Internal Affairs Gen. Aronda Nyakairima and the Inspector General of Police Kale Kaihura to involve DP youths in the ongoing military training of young people as crime preventers.
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