By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: The National Resistence Movement (NRM) party National Treasurer Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko has urged the youth to support NRM and President Yoweri Museveni basing on the party’s clear ideology.
Delivering her keynote speech while meeting university youth leaders at Makerere University St. Francis Chapel, Namayanja told the youth it is only NRM that holds a clear ideology that the entire country needs for development.
“We the NRM are a cornerstone of development of Uganda because there is no one who has a better ideology than ours. Our ideology is anchored in four core principles of Nationalism,Pan Africanism, Social -Economic Transformation and Democracy. And it is these that guide the NRM to deliver to this country,’’ Namayanja said.
She also told the youth that it is crucial for any liberation movement or party that wants to mange society to have these guiding principles because they determine how a political outfit, how a liberation movement is supposed to relate with a different society interest.
‘’How does the name NRM relate with religious institutions, business community, traditional or cultural institutions, peasants, and how does NRM come up with a foreign policy or economic policy. All these we have done have been guided by our ideology,’’ She said, adding that, ‘’these ideological principles are informed by the circumstances that are pertaining in particular situation or country.’’
She also reminded students that Uganda was at one time bedevilled by politics of sectarianism where political parties were formed on the basis of religions and tribes, saying this is what led to the turmoil in Uganda’s history.
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‘’From our history, DP was formed on the basis that for one to participate in politics of this country you were supposed to be a Muganda or Catholic or both. UPC was largely protestants and mostly from the north. There was Kabaka Yekka (King only) fronting the interests of Buganda kingdom. That is one of the reasons why the NRM made Nationalism as the first core principle of our ideology,’’ She said amid hand claps from yellow donned youth.
Explaining to students what the four core principles of the NRM ideology stand for, Namyanja said that Nationalism interests in harnessing talents and putting Uganda first by avoiding sectarianism basing on tribes and religion. Pan-Africanism means that the security of Uganda’s neighbour is its security. And that is why the NRM offered training services of ANC’s military wing of Umkoto Wesizwe at Kaweweta, and also in peace building in Rwanda, DR Congo, South Sudan, Somalia and most importantly allowed refugees to come to Uganda.
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In social economic transformation, she said that NRM has moved the country from lower level of development to a higher form of development, saying that, ‘’the NRM inherited a country that was in ruins. The inflation was 240%, the GDP per capita was -3.49%, the life expectancy was 48 years and there was high levels of illiteracy in the country. The first thing the NRM government did was security and stability, because it is security that facilities the rest,’’ she said.
On the issue of democracy she said that Uganda has attained high level of democracy that was not there before, adding that ‘’what is remaining is to consolidate these achievements.’’
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‘’If you compare the voting system of 1980 election and that of 1996, you cannot fail to appreciate the NRM government. The voting, counting and tallying was in the interests of a few individuals who could easily switch ballot papers to the candidate of interest. But currently the process is done in a broad day light and fully televised,’’ she adds.
She therefore urged the youth many of who are already in leadership positions that the future of this country lies up on them and asked them to be wise in their decision not to be carried away by political winds.
