MBARARA – Mbarara City was on Monday painted yellow as NRM supporters welcomed their presidential flag bearer, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni who was in the newly created city to kick start his scientific campaigns in Ankole sub-region.
Museveni, who arrived at Boma Grounds in Mbarara City amidst ululations from excited supporters, first apologized to party leaders from the districts of Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, Ibanda, Mbarara and Mbarara City for not stopping to greet supporters who had gathered on the roads to welcome him.
“While coming here, I found many people on the way who wanted me to welcome me but I apologise for not stopping to greet you. It is not that I don’t care about you but it is because I care about your lives during this Covid-19 pandemic. If I stop to greet you, it insinuates that I have encouraged you congregate. My mask is very strong that I cant get infected by the virus but I don’t want to make you sick,” Museveni told the leaders that had gathered to listen to his campaign message and strategy.
“When I see people congregating, I see it as not being necessary. I will address you on the radio and TV to give you the NRM message without exposing you to the virus,” he added.
The President quoted the Bible, saying that everything has its own time, noting that if it is safe for holding mass rallies, he would hold them, but that it was risky to do so under the prevailing circumstances.
The presidential candidate told the party leaders that the NRM has been able to turn around the situation from the failed country that Uganda was to one liked by everyone.
Museveni noted that the ideology of the NRM is an integrated one that one thing leads to the other, urging party leaders to preach this gospel to the people.
Asking the leaders to lead by example, Museveni said the biggest problem that Uganda currently faces is poverty that he said ought to be tackled decisively.
“Small scale agriculture is the way to go for people with small pieces of land. Use one acre for growing coffee, the other one for food for the family and the remaining two for fruits and pasture for animals. This will be a source of wealth and jobs for our people but you need to lead by example,” Museveni said as he emphasized working for both the stomach and the pockets but with a calculation.
He later addressed another meeting of the party youth leaders from the Ankole sub-region and urged them to work for unity of the country and the region at large.
Museveni also urged the youth leaders to embrace government programs as one of the ways to help them fight poverty.
He will on December 8 continue with his campaign leg in the Ankole sub-region with a scientific meeting for party leaders from Rubirizi, Sheema, Mitooma and Buhweju.
