By Jeff Lule  

THE opposition should use the Jubilee celebrations to come up with better ideas that can help to move forward the country instead of blaming Uganda’s woes on ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali has said.

The leader of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) opposition party said this year’s independence celebrations should be special to all Ugandans and a land mark of new ideas for a better Uganda.

Bidandi said all people should be proud for what the country has achieved in the past 50years. Uganda is to mark 50 years of Independence on October 9th, next week.

“This is a special day for all Ugandans whether in opposition or not. We are marking half a century since the country moved from the hands of the British. We need to look at the achievements in the last 50 years and forge a way forward than blaming NRM for it’s 26 year rule. NRM came to power after several regimes made several contributions,” Bidandi said.

He was addressing journalists at his offices in Bukoto Thursday.

Bidandi a former local government minister, stressed that all problems facing the country should be blamed on all the previous regimes that led this country.

He stressed that even the achievements in the country are a sum total contributed by various regimes.

He said NRM just added to those contributions, stressing that even any mishap facing the country is a collective responsibility by all the previous regimes.

“I hear people saying that NRM killed people, but which regime never killed. Innocent citizens were murdered in Obote I and II regime, Gen. Idi Amin and Tito Okello’s regimes among others. I think my colleagues need to get focused for us to move forward,” Bidandi noted.

He said the constitution was defiled by the previous regimes two years after the country got independence in 1962.

Bidandi said all Ugandans need to revisit the purpose and principles of the constitution to restore unity and good governance.

 “We all know the extent at which we have defiled the constitution. So the mishaps should never be heaped on NRM. We are all to blame,” he added.

On the recent city evictions by Kampala Capital City Authority, Bidandi condemned the act saying it was done in heartless manner.

“Development is mandatory but leaders need to provide alternatives before any eviction is carried out. Unplanned evictions will lead to high crime rate since many people remain jobless,” he said.

Bidandi said Government needs to come up with an overall plan for Kampala or set up a new administrative city.

Bidandi returned to the country last week from Bangkok Thailand where he has been receiving a specialized treatment for the last two weeks.

He was admitted last months after a bad fall at his home in Ntinda where he lost balance of his body.