Kabuleta takes swipe at greedy politicians for keeping Ugandans poor

 National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) leader, Joseph Kabuleta has said bad leadership and greedy politicians are to blame for the suffering of Ugandans.

“What I found while moving around this country is that Uganda is the only country with people languishing in stinking poverty yet they are seated on natural wealth that is benefiting a small group of people. This group of people actually believes it owns the country .They completely think they own us, they divided Uganda among themselves,” Kabuleta said.

“The reality is that we have greedy leaders who don’t want to share any of the resources with the people who stay in the locality of those resources.”

Kabuleta made the remarks on Monday during NEED's national dialogue conference held at Serena Hotel, Kampala.

The conference brought together representatives from all the 14 regions in Uganda to discuss the common problems citizens are facing due to the existence of natural resources within their areas.

Speaking during the conference, Kabuleta said there are unfavourable systems put in place by government to keep Ugandans in poverty since the poor and easy to rule and control.

“The yellow party was created to keep one family in power, so to all those in yellow party bragging that our party, stand warned that if you are not a member of that family, you are a field slave who eats leftovers. Yet all of us here have a stake in this country. And that is the politics I want in Uganda, we are all equal nobody is second or first class.”

Divisions

Kabuleta also noted that Uganda is full of greedy leaders whom he castigated for always caring about themselves and also fane political and tribal divisions that could in future lead to problems in the country.

“The division I see in this country is scaring, absolutely scaring, there are things which I have seen and I just keep quiet but they are very frightening because there was a time when we were one country but now you go to some places and they say for us we are not part of Uganda.”

The journalist turned politician also assured Ugandans that they still have a chance to get hold of their country again if they unite and fight for what rightly belongs to them despite of their political, ethnicity and religious differences.

“We shall get it back and even be stakeholders in it, and we will never give it back.  Nevertheless, don’t lose hope in the project Uganda. It can still work, one bad leadership cannot cause us to hate our country.

Renowned Muslim scholar Imam Idi Kasozi who was among the key speakers noted that due to poor management of the country by those in power, citizens have lost hope.

He said the government is basically taking care of a small clique of people and a few privileged families thus leaving majority of Ugandans suffering.

“Let’s be sincere and look at our religious organizations .Are they still independent? So all our religious leaders are receivers except a few, but the majority of them are dependent on the forces of the regime and therefore they cannot empower their followers," said Imam Kasozi .

He urged fellow leaders to rediscover themselves through mindset change.

Former Minister for Ethics, Dr.Miria Matembe urged Ugandans to look up to God as they pray for the revival of their country which she said has been mismanaged by a few people in power.

“Our motto is For God and My Country but  it has become for God and My stomach and my clan. Love your neighbour as you love yourself has turned into love wealth and positions. What nation is this? However irrespective of the evils done on the land of Uganda, we should give God gratitude because with all the idolatry and killings we have witnessed in this country, God has not destroyed us. Nevertheless, we must also repent because all of us have sinned before God," she said.