President Yoweri Museveni has lashed out at opposition politicians who fight development in Amuru district, describing them as enemies within fighting people progress.
“People were coming from northern Uganda, West Nile, Sudan, Rwanda and Acholi to work in Kakira sugar works in Busoga. Because the NRM brought peace, we said, let us bring Kakira to Acholi, Kinyara to Lakang so that our children don’t have to go looking for these jobs. For two years we have been quarreling over that one,” he said.
The President who was addressing hundreds of people at a bi-election rally in support of NRM candidate Jane Frances Akili at Olwol Village, Lamogi, Amuri District, said claims by opposition politician FDCs Gilbert Oulanya that President Museveni wants to steal their land was unfortunate and that he did not have to steal anybody’s land to develop.
“They say Museveni wants to steal your land, do they know how many cows I have? I’m going to invite Gilbert Oulanya to show him my cows. I don’t need to steal land from anybody but people of Uganda must develop,” he said.
Giving an example of Gulu University, the President said because of this venture, business in Gulu has been transformed and is booming with over 4000 students, lecturers and support staff who are buying from and working with the Acholi Community.
“In Mbarara before we had a milk factory, a litre of milk was 200 shillings. With the new factory the price is now 630shs and growing because of the demand. You people of Amuru, you have an enemy within you. An enemy who is against your progress; who is opposing development. If money is bad, how much is Oulanya getting from Parliament? Oulanya says Museveni is bad but money is good. When I try to bring your own incomes here opposition say government is bad. You should know you have an enemy,” he said.
Using the biblical story in which King Solomon of Israel ruled between two women both claiming to be the mother of a child by tricking the parties into revealing their true feelings, the President said the opposition speak without shame.
“People who talk like that are not leaders. The way they talk shows that they are not the mothers and don’t understand planning and prioritization,” he said.
The President said they agreed with the opposition on how to bring peace to the north – that if the rebels came out of the bush, they would be welcomed but if they refused, the UPDF would go after them in the bush.
“Opposition went to radios and to the international community saying the NRM government is bad. We fought and defeated the rebels without any moral support from the opposition. We did not want them to come and fight in the bush, all we wanted was for them to pray for us. They couldn’t even do that. The same with cattle rustling they opposed us, in Parliament, check the Hansard. They said we should not disarm the Karimojong. We disarmed the them and recovered 20,000 guns without the support of the opposition. Now they have come here to oppose the factory,” he said.
The President said the opposition has no shame because if they did would not be saying what they are saying, always narrate negative stories instead of acknowledging the positive achievements including roads, schools, electricity etc in the district.
The Amuru by-election followed the resignation of Hon. Betty Bugombe who left for an international job with the World Bank.
On claims by the opposition that the NRM candidate is not from Amuru and she is only married there, The President said there no reason why she should be blocked to stand for the vacant parliamentary seat and warned against spreading sectarianism.
NRM Jane Okili condemned the politics of the opposition members whom she described as liars. She appreciated the love that the people of Amuru District have shown her and said she is ready to work for the development of women and the people of Amuru.
Over 445 members of the opposition including independent leaning Josephine Atim crossed to NRM .