UPC to re-unite Uganda â€" Otunnu
DR. Olara Otunnu of the Uganda Peoples’ Congress was declared a presidential candidate yesterday. New Vision’s <i>Catherine Bekunda</i> talked to him.
DR. Olara Otunnu of the Uganda Peoples’ Congress was declared a presidential candidate yesterday. New Vision’s Catherine Bekunda talked to him.
Q: You have been registered as a presidential candidate for UPC. How do you feel?
A: We are going out to the country to conduct the campaign for free and fair elections. The experience we have had over the last several days shows that this Electoral Commission is incapable of organising free and fair elections. We had 600 signatures from Bukedea but they only approved 20. We had 400 from Nwoya, they only approved a handful. We have been for days trying to get signatures, all of which is part of the corruption of this regime. We want a new, independent commission and a voter registry which is clean.
Q: You are a seasoned diplomat and scholar. Why a presidential candidate now?
A: We have evil in this land. I have seen the humiliating poverty among our people. …That is why I am here to join my compatriots to sweep away this regime from power. That is why the platform of UPC is free and fair elections because they will open the way for us to fight corruption and poverty. We want to offer whole education to our children, offer healthcare, support small farmers, to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, none of which is happening now. Free and fair elections are the prerequisite to liberating the people of Uganda. So that’s why I am here.
Q: Have you seen some form of growth since you were last in Uganda?
A: Actually, Uganda has regressed dramatically. We had never seen corruption as we have seen over the last 25 years. We had never seen the collapse of quality education as we see today. Universal Primary Education has become the by-word for the collapse of quality education. I challenge Museveni to show us one real hospital he has built. UPC, in the space of only a few years, built 22 hospitals that still stand, even if there are no doctors, drugs and nurses. Uganda had never seen the humiliation of poverty we are seeing now.
Q: What can you do for the Ugandan people?
A: No party in this country has worked harder to unite the people of Uganda across regional, ethnic and religious lines as UPC. UPC will re-unite our country. Secondly, the state over which Museveni presides has simply migrated from the ordinary people.
He is not offering education, health services, not making roads and not supporting farmers. UPC will work for the advancement of ordinary people, women and children. That will become once again the central business of the state. UPC will fight the galloping obscene corruption we are seeing here.
We shall begin by setting an example from State House, to ministers and military commanders, and ensure that resources benefit Ugandans.
Q: UPC has been in power before. Did it provide all these amenities for the Ugandans?
A: Yes. In a space of a few years in the 1960s, UPC built 22 quality hospitals, over 40 secondary schools. In the same time, UPC built roads throughout the country. The long list of institutions which were put in place to galvanise the development of this country have been destroyed. Nobody has worked harder to unite Ugandans. That is why UPC has to come back to offer the people of Uganda hope.
Q: You have been registered as a presidential candidate for UPC. How do you feel?
A: We are going out to the country to conduct the campaign for free and fair elections. The experience we have had over the last several days shows that this Electoral Commission is incapable of organising free and fair elections. We had 600 signatures from Bukedea but they only approved 20. We had 400 from Nwoya, they only approved a handful. We have been for days trying to get signatures, all of which is part of the corruption of this regime. We want a new, independent commission and a voter registry which is clean.
Q: You are a seasoned diplomat and scholar. Why a presidential candidate now?
A: We have evil in this land. I have seen the humiliating poverty among our people. …That is why I am here to join my compatriots to sweep away this regime from power. That is why the platform of UPC is free and fair elections because they will open the way for us to fight corruption and poverty. We want to offer whole education to our children, offer healthcare, support small farmers, to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, none of which is happening now. Free and fair elections are the prerequisite to liberating the people of Uganda. So that’s why I am here.
Q: Have you seen some form of growth since you were last in Uganda?
A: Actually, Uganda has regressed dramatically. We had never seen corruption as we have seen over the last 25 years. We had never seen the collapse of quality education as we see today. Universal Primary Education has become the by-word for the collapse of quality education. I challenge Museveni to show us one real hospital he has built. UPC, in the space of only a few years, built 22 hospitals that still stand, even if there are no doctors, drugs and nurses. Uganda had never seen the humiliation of poverty we are seeing now.
Q: What can you do for the Ugandan people?
A: No party in this country has worked harder to unite the people of Uganda across regional, ethnic and religious lines as UPC. UPC will re-unite our country. Secondly, the state over which Museveni presides has simply migrated from the ordinary people.
He is not offering education, health services, not making roads and not supporting farmers. UPC will work for the advancement of ordinary people, women and children. That will become once again the central business of the state. UPC will fight the galloping obscene corruption we are seeing here.
We shall begin by setting an example from State House, to ministers and military commanders, and ensure that resources benefit Ugandans.
Q: UPC has been in power before. Did it provide all these amenities for the Ugandans?
A: Yes. In a space of a few years in the 1960s, UPC built 22 quality hospitals, over 40 secondary schools. In the same time, UPC built roads throughout the country. The long list of institutions which were put in place to galvanise the development of this country have been destroyed. Nobody has worked harder to unite Ugandans. That is why UPC has to come back to offer the people of Uganda hope.