Opposition is thriving because NRM cadres have kept quiet about our achievements- Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has accused NRM leaders of failure to publicise government achievements since 1986.

Speaking to NRM leaders from the Greater Mpigi districts of  Butambala , Gomba and Mpigi at the police playgrounds in Mpigi town council on Tuesday afternoon, Museveni said Uganda would not have had any opposition figure had government’s achievements been well-publicized.

“When i hear of opposition, I laugh. There is no opposition but NRM people are being dumb. They don’t speak about our achievements. All the things we have done are here and no one can dispute them but why (NRM leaders) don’t you go down to the people and tell them what we have done,” Museveni noted.

Speaking about the emerging force of youths in the country’s politics, the NRM presidential candidate said this group of people has a reason to agitate for better services because they have been ignored by leaders.

“You have not gone down to these people (youths) and it is the reason they are being used, They have their issues of being ignored by our leaders and have therefore been infiltrated by other forces.”

According to Museveni, whereas his job is to show the strategic and ideological difference between the NRM and other parties in the development of Uganda, his cause has not been supported by fellow NRM leaders.

“In our time we were talking of Uganda and East Africa but now when you read social media, they are talking of European football.  You can’t ask me of any European football team and I name it but even our NRM people don’t talk about the integration of East Africa and Africa at large. If you don’t do this, where shall we get market for our goods?”

Wealth creation

Museveni who on several occasions laced his speech with jokes and sayings from the local Luganda dialect said that one of the biggest problems that Uganda is currently facing is poverty.

He noted that this can only be tackled if all homesteads get involved in wealth creation.

“When I went to Kisozi, people were democratically poor and were asking me to give them money.  I refused and asked what would happen to them the following day.  If you have a friend and is hungry, don’t give him fish but teach them how to fish and give them a hook,”Museveni said.

According to Museveni, right now 1400 homes of the 1700 near his farm in Kisozi are now involved into commercial production

He said this approach should be used by leaders to encourage people adopt wealth creation, other than being involved in subsistence production.