Ofwono Opondo has urged disgruntled Ugandans to credit the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party for what it has done over the years.
The Government Spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo has urged disgruntled Ugandans to credit the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party for what it has done over the years.
The recently concluded general elections saw NRM lose massively in Buganda region and also in the Local Councillors polls with NUP registering up to 41 candidates to sit in KCCA while NRM had none.
However, while responding to a question of why a big section of Ugandans has continued to turn against them, NRM’s Ofwono who is also the Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre said that haters are only tired of its long stay but don’t have facts.
Ofwono cited although they continue to face criticism from the public, they have done a lot like a party and they should be accorded enough credit.
“You may have hate for NRM and its leaders but there are facts you can’t deny. A lot of ground has been covered but also there are a lot of things that we need to deal with,” Ofwono said while appearing on NBS TV’s Frontline show.
Meanwhile, the Forum for Democratic Change party spokesperson, Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda was also part of the show. In his view, he said that NRM should feel ashamed that it has not done enough for Ugandans in 35 years of its governance.
He said that the party has only mastered the art of torturing its citizens more so those who come out publicly to challenge its regime.
“They will even salute you if you are not challenging power. – Ssemujju Nganda. As individuals, they are doing very well. They are MDs of a collapsing company (Uganda). The Generals who fought are doing very well,” Ssemujju said.
In response, however, the government spokesperson told Ssemujju that a lot has changed from ensuring freedom to promoting infrastructural developments.
Relatively, Ofwono said that the NRM has promoted women empowerment which was not the case in the past regimes that were overthrown. According to Ofwono, today many women are elected to represent in the same positions as men.
“Ssemujju you were a journalist before and now you are an MP. Has anyone told you to go away because you are a journalist? You are no longer raped on the account of being a beautiful woman like it used to be. Also, where we are right now was a bush. This hill, Naguru, was a place for dumping dead bodies,” Ofwono said.
“Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has passed through the criteria of being in UPDF. LDUs were absorbed into the UPDF,” he added.
Meanwhile, he lashed out at those blaming them for arresting protesters. He said that any clever government would not allow the opposition to unite in the bush.
“Obote was foolish enough to leave a person who said he was going to the bush, do you expect the NRM, which is smarter, will just look on when someone says he will burn Kampala?,” he questioned.
“If you have been engaging in criminality, I want to inform you that we are looking for you. The aim is not to hunt for NUP members.”
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