Bukenya will surprise skeptics - Mayiga

BY MOSES MULONDO

Former Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya has the potential to win a presidential poll, the Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga has said. 

Referring to Bukenya’s name of Balibaseka, which literally means the one they used to despise, Mayiga scoffed at those who underestimate Bukenya.

“When Bukenya came back from abroad to lecture at Makerere University people laughed at him. When he left teaching and joined politics people laughed at him. When he was appointed Vice-President, people laughed at him and disproved them. When he tells now where he is going and you laugh at him, we shall laugh at you when he gets there,” the Katikkiro said.

Bukenya recently announced that he will stand for president in 2016.

Mayiga made the remarks Wednesday while launching Bukenya’s anti-poverty campaign at his Lwantama based home in Wakiso district.

Mayiga boosted Bukenya’s presidential bid by bestowing upon him the honour of the star of Uganda’s parliament.

“The Ommumuli project was started to select role model leaders who develop their communities. Prof. Bukenya, because of these different impressive initiatives you keep coming up with to develop Ugandans, I have selected you as the Ommumuli of the parliament of Uganda. Let all other MPs come here and learn from you,” Mayiga said to a thunderous applause.

In the campaign, Bukenya will be promoting small-scale industries and commercial farming in different parts of Buganda before taking the drive to all other parts of Uganda.     

Mayiga described Bukenya as the best Vice-President Uganda has ever had. “If our people had leaders like Bukenya, they would easily get out of poverty,” he said.

Bukenya led the Katikkiro to tour the various manufacturing centers/factories where various products are manufactured from.

Some of the products manufactured in these small-scale factories/cottage industry include jewelry, utensils, sprays, clothes, soap, bags, office equipment, dishes, sisal products, baskets, table decoration, table mats, lumps, and many other products.

Bukenya said they supply the products to the supermarkets and sell some in foreign markets like America and Italy.

The Busiro North MP repeated his declaration that he will stand for the presidency of Uganda in 2016 riding on a new model of politics based on field-based practical undertakings of teaching people how to get themselves out of poverty.

“My leadership will not dish out cash to people as other leaders have been doing. My leadership will not give people fish but will teach all Ugandans how to fish for themselves,” Bukenya explained.

He scoffed at those who call him a coward and one who can be bought out of the presidential race saying he will prove them wrong.

The function was attended by former Buganda Katikkiro Joseph Mulwanya Mmuli Ssemogerere, Mengo minister for trade and industry Toban Mohamood, Democratic Party (DP) secretary general Mathias Nsubuga, Buikwe North MP Dr. Michael Lulume Bayiga, Ntenjeru North MP Patrick Nsanja, Bukomansimbi MP Deagrotius Kiyingi, Central region youth MP Patrick Nakabale, and Wakiso district chairman Matia Lwanga Bwani.

Other political leaders present were Butambala district chairman Godfrey Mafumu, Mitiyana district speaker Ssalongo Aloysius Sserumaga, Mubende district chairman Francis Kibuuka Amooti, Kiboga district chairman Israel Iga and Kiboga district chairman Governor Abdu Kyabangi.

Speaker after speaker including the DP leaders heaped praises on Bukenya depicting him as the most suitable leader to fight poverty and unemployment which are widely spread across the country.

Describing him as a man greatly loved by people and as one who greatly loves people, the former Buganda Katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyammuli said Bukenya’s poverty alleviation initiatives have proved him as a leader with the potential to redeem Ugandans out of poverty and unemployment.

Appealing to the Katikkiro, Mulwanyammuli said, “You need development oriented political leaders like Bukenya to develop Buganda. You have come in leadership when your people are desperate for new hope because they have become weary. You need to work together with Bukenya to give Ugandans new hope,” Mulwanyammuli counseled.  

The DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga said from what they had seen, he realized that Bukenya has a vision for the country.

“As we were touring around, I was so impressed and told my colleague Dr. Michael Lulume Bayiga that surely this man has a noble vision. When you have good leaders like Bukenya, a country inevitably develops,” Nsubuga argued.