President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has encouraged the people of Dokolo District to join and support the ruling party because it has the medicine which is able to deal with the problems of Ugandans.
“I hear in Dokolo there are people who are UPC and don’t want to work with NRM or join NRM, why don’t you join the medicine that seems to have worked? There was a patient called Uganda, the other medicines applied on him did not work, this one for NRM, seems to have worked,” he said.
The President made the remarks at Atabu Primary School Playground, Dokolo while campaigning for the NRM flag bearer for Dokolo District Woman Parliamentary Seat By-election, Ms. Janet Adongo Rose Elau. The voting is slated for Thursday 21st, March, 2024.
The Dokolo Woman Member of Parliament seat fell vacant following the death of the area legislator, Hon. Cecilia Atim Ogwal on 18th January, 2024 in India.
During the rally, the President observed a moment of silence in respect to the fallen legislator.
President Museveni wondered why some Ugandans continue to embrace the “wrong medicine” which killed the patient in the past, explaining that he finds such a decision as lack of seriousness and dishonesty.
“The man was down and couldn’t get off his bed, but he is walking now and he seems to be even running. Why don’t you say that this medicine seems to be working but you say no, I will continue with the medicine which killed the other patient in the past. Then you even bring a new one which has never even been tried anywhere called FDC,” he stressed.
The President further informed the rally that the names of the political parties are not that important and that what is crucial is what brings the people together to deal with their needs.
“When you see people emphasizing “who” instead of “what”, know there’s a problem. “Who are you?” is not important in the politics of medicine/ curing people’s problems; what is crucial is what are people’s needs and how can you solve them.”
President Museveni on the other hand told the people of Dokolo that the NRM government came as a force that aims at socially and economically transform Uganda through the provision of services.
“In Dokolo alone, there are now 10 or 13 government secondary schools. You have heard that I have been here for a long time. In 1962, when we got independence, there was no single government secondary school or even a single secondary school in Lango. The only secondary school in the North was Sir Samuel Baker and it was not even an A’ level school. There were only five A’ level schools in Uganda; Buddo, Kisubi, Ntare, Gayaza and Namagunga. In Lango, Lango College came after Independence but now you hear that in Dokolo alone, there are 10 government Secondary Schools and 60 government primary schools,” he said.
“The roads, from Soroti to Lira we tarmacked it and now we are doing it again and we have got plans for other roads like Dokolo- Amolatar- Namasale; that one we are planning to tarmac it, among other roads. If NRM can build 10 secondary schools in Dokolo only without talking about the other parts of Lango, when at Independence there were no single secondary school in the whole of Lango, why do you doubt its capacity to do even the other work that is yet to be done? If we did the 10, we can do the 20, we can do the others.”
President Museveni also urged the people of Dokolo to embrace politics of interest and shun politics of identity, saying it frustrates the development of the country.
“I was in those old political parties. Initially, I was in DP because of the sectarian politics in Ankole and other parts of the country; and because of that I became a member of DP in 1960 along the way through the student movement, we started to notice some mistakes of that type of politics, not only in DP even in the other groups, and by 1965, our students’ movement started saying no, it should be politics of what people need not politics of who they are.”
He also implored the people of Dokolo to vote for leaders who are selfless and are able to represent them well.
“Vote for leaders who are accountable. For example, drugs are not in some hospitals because of corruption of health workers, that is why you should vote for good leaders who are able to check on those issues. The NRM government has been able to fully address the health issues that require vaccination. Young girls should also get vaccinated for the cancer of the uterus. When you get that vaccination, you will never get cancer for the whole of your life,” he said.
“If you are looking for a party to support, you look at the one that has got evidence of capacity and the challenge is for you to get good workers to implement all the plans. This is what we ask you, NRM has shown that it has got the capacity to perform but to perform properly, you need big leaders on top, in the middle and also at the base.”
The President also flagged off the NRM flag bearer, Ms. Adongo Janet Elau and gave an opportunity to the NRM members who stepped down from the race in favour of the flag bearer to briefly address the masses.
“I want you to send us our daughter Adongo to come and follow up on government programs,” he said.
Ms. Adongo assured the people of Dokolo that she is going to work for their interests of development.
The rallies were also attended by the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Hamson Obua, Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, Hon. Beatrice Akello Akori, NRM leaders, among others.