The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) Presidential Candidate, Gen. Mugisha Muntu says that the least Ugandans must do is to sideline the incumbent leader Yoweri Kaguta Museveni since he has failed the masses and is drunk with power.
“There must be elimination of dictatorship and then a new group comes in to manage power differently; we don’t want to repeat what has happened in 58 years: that one group leaves power and then one which comes in promises to do better and does the same things like the one which it removed,” he said in part.
Muntu made the statement during his second day of campaign in the slums of Makerere, Ssebina Zone. Presidential campaigns across the country kicked off yesterday Monday 9th and incumbent Yoweri Museveni is facing ten other candidates for the top job.
In his address to the people, Muntu singled out the growing debt burden of Shillings 1.2 million which he says is placed on every single Ugandan including a baby as one of the reasons why it is time for the incumbent President to leave.
According to media reports, Uganda’s total public debt grew from 46.36 trillion Shillings at the end of June 2019 to 48.91 trillion Shillings by end of December 2019 due to increased borrowing by government. However, officials from the Ministry of Finance argue that the debt level is still sustainable since it is below the 50 percent of GDP threshold.
“If you distribute the national debt amongst the total population, even the young kid is carrying debt of 1.2 million and we must pay the debt. Therefore, there are two things that have to be done simultaneously. Develop the economy so that we can solve problems of slum, education, health, and infrastructure but as we pay the debt,” Muntu said.
He added that there will also be a need to have a team in case of borrowing more money to ensure that the funds are put into productive areas.
According to Muntu, people are frustrated with the huge public debt and the rot in different sectors hence the need for the population to focus on the ten remaining presidential candidates for a leader better than Museveni.
Gen. Muntu also mentioned the failed health system during the current leadership as another reason why President Museveni must go. He promised that once elected President, he is to ensure that the country has a National Health Insurance scheme to enable citizens’ access decent health care at low costs. Muntu has also pledged to ensure that there is better and low cost housing in order to eliminate slums.
He said that ANT has taken time to prepare its self and that it is ready to provide leadership that is value driven.
Muntu heads to the Western part of Uganda on Wednesday where he will continue with his campaign in Ntungamo.
