Kiira Municipality MP Semujju Nganda (who is also the FDC spokesman) says he recently declined a private invitation by President Yoweri Museveni to one of his private farms. Semujju says it all started sometime back when Museveni appeared on the Capital Gang and discussed things with other panelists. “We had a lot of disagreements and you remember I accused him of being wasteful. So during the break he said he was inviting me and my brother Hon Katuntu to go and see his millennium villages,” Semujju disclosed during today Saturday’s capital gang program. “I of course declined but the man was very serious. He even issued invitations which were sent to us and days later, on the appointed day, he sent vehicles to pick us at Parliament. I was in my office and I never went anywhere because I don’t believe in the approach he is using to fight poverty, generate wealth and develop this country,” Semujju Nganda added. He says instead he travelled to Isingiro to a village near the Tanzanian border and studied the case study of the very successful UN Millennium village there. “That village is a very successful model. The UN used just $6m [less than Shs20bn] but you will be amazed when you go to see for yourself. They put a first class school and a first class hospital.
They supported and mobilized people into production activities and there is even a ready market for their Matooke which is bought by one of the UN agencies. That clearly shows how much transformation this country can register once this wasteful spending in Rukungiri by Museveni is put to an end,” Semujju explained adding that $6m was so little compared to what State House avails to the President to dish out to different groups of youths and women in different parts of Uganda. Semujju, who was discussing his principled opposition to the recent pouring of billions into Rukungiri, didn’t disclose whether his senior colleague Abdul Katuntu honored the Museveni invitation. He said that using the same $6m, the UN was able to even establish first class community radio which is used to sensitize and mobilize people in that Isingiro Sub County for development purposes. The residents in the model millennium village mostly grow Matooke for which the UN model ensures there is ready market.
Semujju advised Museveni to emulate this UN model adding that once he does that “his achievements will become self-explanatory and he won’t have to drive to Rukungiri for his candidate to win.” Without disputing Semujju’s claim to have been privately invited to the president’s private farm, Opondo said it’s not correct for Museveni’s generosity in Rukungiri to be linked to the upcoming by-election because the man from Rwakitura is naturally generous and compassionate. “He has good intentions and he is acting genuinely. The other day he was in Ankole and Teso giving out tractors. Was there a by-election? He was with the Catholic priests at Hotel Africana and donated Shs500m. Was there an election?” Opondo wondered. He agreed the timing was potentially making Museveni’s Rukungiri gesture misunderstood and that there is need to improve the way the beneficiary groups are identified and supervised after receiving the cash. Nganda, who predicted that the poorly paid SFC soldiers will one day refuse guarding the dishing out of money to such groups, advised Museveni to either retire or emulate the UN Isingiro model if he is indeed serious about having comprehensive value-addition chain as a strategy to emancipate people from poverty. It will recalled that this isn’t the first time Nganda is claiming Museveni’s private efforts to woo him. Years back he exposed Owek Robert Sebunya for being the emissary Museveni one time sent to deliver him for private talks regarding Federo and other issues hurting Buganda. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755!
