Entebbe Municipality Democratic Party Spokesman Ssali Maggwa has lashed out at the ruling National Resistance Movement over it’s failure to provide lasting solutions to the biting youth unemployment across the country. Speaking to entebbenews in an Exclusive interview Maggwa criticized the NRM over it’s failure to create jobs for the youth who constitute the majority in Uganda.
“President Museveni and the NRM are only interested in using the youth to achieve their own selfish political agenda. President Museveni has now resorted to giving the youths hand outs, envelopes, gifts and ministerial posts to buy off their support” Maggwa stressed.
“Unlike the NRM, We in the Democratic Party appeal to the youth because we advocate for their needs and aspirations. In Uganda DP is an alternative for the youths because we have been supportive to their causes” he said.
He was happy to note that 95 percent of the Democratic Party leadership in Entebbe is dominated by the youth from the lower level to the top.
“DP in Entebbe is entirely managed by the youth including councilors who are below 40 years. DP is leading as far as youth councils are concerned” Maggwa continued.
“In the Democratic Party Manifesto the youth are the priority because we believe they are the future of this country” he added.
Responding to the differences between Mayor Kayanja Vincent DePaul and MP Mohamed Kawuma, Maggwa revealed that Hon.Kawuma has his own problems but was quick to add that the party is ready to welcome him back provided he repents and reconciles with Kayanja.
“We are moving as a group in the party though we have a few members who want to destroy the party. We shall eliminate them through the primaries and other party structures if they fail to tow the party line” he stressed.
Maggwa asserted that the rift between Hon. Kawuma and Mayor Kayanja wouldn’t play out on religious grounds. “We moved with Kawuma in churches during the 2011 campaigns. Muslims voted Kayanja in the 2011 elections while Christians voted for Kawuma so religion doesn’t count in the Democratic Party” he stated.
He also disclosed that there is no big deal between Walusimbi Abubaker and Kakembo Michael adding that both would love to be MP’s. “Kakembo Michael and Walusimbi Abubaker are aspiring for the position of Member of Parliament, we shall hold party primaries to elect the party flag bearer” he said.
Maggwa who is also aspiring for the position of LCV Councilor Division B Wakiso District stressed that he will concentrate on ending the rampant land wrangles and improving the Education levels in the district.
“I’ll be the people’s councilor, a servant of the people and I appeal to the people of Wakiso District and the people of Entebbe Municipality in particular to entrust DP with another term come 2016. We are ready to serve them again and again” he further stressed.
Commenting on the just concluded Busia by-election Maggwa disclosed that the NRM gave Busia residents hand outs and also ferried Kenyans who voted for Wanyama the NRM Candidate. “I’m hopeful that in 2016 our Democratic Party flag bearer Njoki Deo will take the seat” he stated.
He however decried the increasing low voter turnout in elections adding that President Museveni has succeeded in frustrating Ugandans. “President Museveni has absolute powers over the Electoral Commission. He is the referee, a player and can shift goal posts at any time he so wishes and many voters are going to be disenfranchised” he noted.
He also expressed his skepticism towards the National ID Project adding that many Ugandans were going to miss out on voting in the 2016 elections because ministry of internal affairs has delayed to issue the National Identity cards.
“The power of the Electoral Commission was taken away by ministry of Internal affairs and yet article 61 section (E) of the Electoral Commission Act and the constitution gives powers to EC to compile, maintain and revise the National registers” he further added.
On whether the opposition should field a joint candidate in the 2016 Presidential elections Maggwa argues that it would be better if political parties fielded their own candidates to battle it out with President Museveni.
Maggwa also argues that if political parties fielded their own presidential candidates they would each present two polling agents at the polling stations unlike when one joint presidential candidate is fielded who would be limited to only two polling agents. This he adds would help to avoid the NRM from engaging in ballot stuffing.
Asked whether the opposition should boycott the 2016 elections, he responded that boycotting wouldn’t be a solution. “If the opposition boycotts the 2016 elections it would imply that we have failed to play our role as the opposition” Maggwa argued.
He also disclosed that if entrusted with leadership of the country the Democratic Party would resurrect the cooperative societies to liberate all the rural women from the shackles of abject poverty instead of SACCOS which have turned out to be for money grabbers.
“Uganda isn’t a poor country. The problem is the poor utilization of resources. A lot of money is being dumped in State House and President’s Office in form of supplementary budgets” he further stressed.
“If the people of Uganda entrust us with the leadership of the country we shall prioritize health, Education, Agriculture and social infrastructure to improve the quality of life of the people” he further continued.
He highlighted some of the achievements that the Democratic Party Leadership in Entebbe has been able to achieve.
“In the last three years we have been able to keep the municipality clean by collecting all the garbage. We have been able to tarmac some roads such as Berkeley Road and central ward roads. Currently Church road is under construction and hopefully mid this year it will be completed” Maggwa noted.
He however revealed that Buku Road that leads to Kigungu hasn’t been tarmacked adding that UNRA plans to relocate the road to give way for the expansion of Entebbe International Airport in the near future.
