DP to collect 500,000 signatures

Jul 06, 2009

THE Democratic Party (DP) on Friday started its public rallies for de-campaigning the Kampala takeover Bill and collecting signatures to write a petition calling for a referendum on the matter.

By Moses Mulondo

THE Democratic Party (DP) on Friday started its public rallies for de-campaigning the Kampala takeover Bill and collecting signatures to write a petition calling for a referendum on the matter.

At a rally at Kanyanya, a Kampala suburb, DP legal adviser Erias Lukwago said they want to collect over 500,000 signatures.

“After collecting enough signatures, we shall write a petition calling for a referendum specifically on expanding Kampala boundaries,” Lukwago said.

The Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebagala, who organised the rally, said he had by Friday collected 6,000 signatures.

Kampala mayor Nasser Ssebagala explained to the rally that the NRM government has been allocating meagre resources to Kampala City Council to fail the opposition.

“The Government argues that it wants to take-over Kampala is because it has been mismanaged by the corrupt opposition.

“Why don’t they prosecute those found to be corrupt?” Sebaggala asked.

“After failing to win Kampala through elections, they now want to take it forcefully,” the mayor reasoned. Former Kampala mayor and DP president John Ssebaana Kizito said effective service delivery requires reducing Kampala’s size and the surrounding areas are prepared to become municipalities.

“The Government has been creating small districts to take services nearer to people, why are they doing the opposite on Kampala?” Ssebaana asked.

DP spokesperson Betty Nambooze said if Museveni thinks DP has messed up the city, then the National Resistance Movement party should use it as an opportunity to win Kampala in the 2011 elections.

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