Forum for Democratic Change Party (FDC) is set to join the world to celebrate the International Labour Day at a function parallel to that organized by government.
The scheduled FDC event will be held under the theme; “The Alternative Labour Policy that is supportive to the Ugandan economy”.
FDC announced on Monday that they will not join government whose celebrations will be held in Ssembabule but will be holding “people – centered celebrations” that will be held in Njeru municipality.
Government’s celebrations are themed on “Promoting Public Spirit in Public Sector”.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, the party Secretary for Labour, Habib Buwembo said that the party’s celebrations shall be used to highlight a number of labour challenges in Uganda and launch of alternative labour policies.
“Under Mzee Museveni and NRM, labourers face a number of challenges which include; harassment on duty, no appointment letters, no contracts as well as the modern day slavery of exported labour and intimidation of civil servants,” Buwembo said.
Buwembo noted that a number of party dignitaries shall be in attendance including the leadership of the ‘Peoples’ Government’, officials from sister political parties and officials from the Labour Movement.
On his part, FDC’s Deputy Spokesperson, Paul Mwiru labelled the government celebrations as “irrelevant” especially when “Museveni’s administration has failed on delivering its promise of enacting the Minimum wage bill.
“I want to underscore tomorrow’s celebrations. The NRM in their manifesto promised Ugandans to come up with a minimum law. As a country, there will be nothing to celebrate by the NRM government because it has negated on its promise,” Mwiru said.
Mwiru said that the NRM government must understand that the plight of workers is more important than their converging in one place only to get allowances.
“To us, government celebrations of the Labour Day tomorrow is not about the work force but government officials signing allowances whereas FDC as a party we think about workers in factories who have been exploited,” Mwiru said.