Museveni blasts Ssebaana

Dec 27, 2005

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday launched the battle for Kampala, describing mayor and DP presidential candidate Ssebaana Kizito as stone-hearted.

By Henry Mukasa and Alfred Wasike

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday launched the battle for Kampala, describing mayor and DP presidential candidate Ssebaana Kizito as stone-hearted.

Addressing a rally at Luzira Secondary School in Nakawa Division, Museveni promised to scrap property tax on residential houses in urban areas.

He said the tax should target only rich landlords with apartments and offices they rent out.

“That tax is murderous! I have launched a war against it. We shall scrap it,” Museveni said to cheers. “Forget all of that in the Ssebaana era. You have seen what he can manage. We are going to reinforce the law so that they can no longer drain your money,” he added.

He said taxes could be levied on vendors annually but not on a daily basis. He said under the constitutional amendments, Kampala has a special status and is directly under the central government.

Museveni said despite the sh33b remitted to Kampala City Council, the capital is chocking on garbage, while the mayor continues to levy unscrupulous taxes.

“You made a mistake to elect Ssebaana and all the division chairmen of DP (Democratic Party). Ssebaana is heartless. But persons who commit suicide are not mourned,” he said.

He likened Ssebaana to FDC and UPC which cooperate under G6 with the sole aim of returning olumbugu (bad governance), which he said the NRM routed.

Museveni, with wife Janet, arrived in Luzira at 12:40pm amid chants of “No change” from hundreds of supporters. They mobbed his snow-white Mercedes Benz-Cross Country singing Tajja genda, tajja genda (he won’t go).

The chants and ear-piercing whistling drowned the singing of the national anthem. The lady emcee announced the singing of the national anthem after the first stanza was over.

There was deafening applause when the division chairman, Protazio Kintu, a DP, stepped forward to greet Museveni. The president gave Kintu a hearty handshake which lasted a while as they chatted. Earlier, Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya led the crowd into a song: “Tumuleese, Kaguta tumuleese... lwabusobozi (we present Kaguta, the able one.”

Museveni said Nakawa roads were pathetic and piped water was expensive, at sh100 per jerrycan, when suppliers pay only sh12 to National Water and Sewerage Corporation. He said he would soon erect water kiosks in all divisions to supply water at sh12.

He promised to erect shades for artisans, start a central place where they smelt iron, boost peri-urban agriculture and install street lights.

He blamed power shortages on the Forum Democratic Change (FDC), which he said rigged the Constitution which denied him more power.

“Articles which were tying the executive have been removed. We used the other clause (of two five-year terms) as a hook. Aaaah! Those undermining us from within were defeated and were saying agenda (he is on his way out).”

FDC leader and presidential candidate Kizza Besigye is in jail over rape, terrorism and treason.

Museveni said his supporters should demand a quick trial. “Where are criminals put?” he asked the crowd. “In prison,” the crowd yelled back. Luzira Maximum Security Prison where Besigye is detained is a stone throw away from the rally venue.

Museveni paraded defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa as having narrowly escaped jail when her guards shot a person in Kiboga during the 2001 campaigns.

“She was even pregnant and she could not give orders. Luckily, she was found to be innocent. But we didn’t protect her as NRM,” Museveni said. He also cited MP Edward Wesonga and Vincent Nyanzi.

Museveni, who addressed the rally atop a military jeep, pleaded for leniency for a man who was being lynched while distracting the meeting. “Apana piga mutu.

Mumuwache! Police rescue that man,” Museveni ordered but fans shouted back, “He is FDC.” “Beat him with the vote,” Museveni said.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});