You are not paid to walk – FDC tells President Museveni

You are not paid to walk - FDC tells President Museveni
Uganda's long-time President Yoweri Museveni adjusts his hat as he attends an election rally at Kololo Airstrip in Kampala, Uganda Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016.

Kampala, Uganda | URN | The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has lashed at President Yoweri Museveni for the forthcoming Anti-Corruption walk, saying he is not paid to walk.

Mr. Museveni will lead the country in a walk aimed at raising awareness against corruption on December 4, 2019 from the Constitutional Square to Kololo airstrip.

Although Museveni’s involvement in the walk is being promoted by government as his commitment to fight corruption, the opposition thinks otherwise.

Last week, Gen. Mugisha Muntu, the National Coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party described the walk as a mockery.

FDC has joined those criticizing the walk. The FDC party deputy spokesperson, John Kikonyogo, says Museveni isn’t paid to walk, adding that Ugandans are aware of the corruption in the country.

Kikonyogo says that rather than walk, Museveni should use the available institutions effectively to fight corruption.

He says although government has put in place institutions like the Inspectorate of Government and the State House Anti-Corruption unit of State House to fight corruption the vice still continues.

Kikonyogo says Museveni and his government should act by making sure that corrupt officials are taken to court and charged justly.

He says the current situation doesn’t reflect deliberate efforts by government to fight corruption, saying even the institutions less empowered to perform.

He pointed to the recent utterances by the Speaker of parliament; Rebecca Kadaga indicating that over Shillings 24 billion meant for construction of a bridge on Isimba dam had been swindled.

He says for a speaker chairing a house that is responsible for making policies against corruption to be acting as a whistle blower is disheartening and an indication of the failure by the institutions to fight corruption.

Kikonyogo says the president should devise mechanisms to ensure that those implicated for corruption are dealt with accordingly.

Read Also: Museveni Anti-corruption Walk a mockery – Gen. Mugisha Muntu

Asked if they will join the walk, Kikonyogo, said they are yet to decide.

The People’s Government led by Dr. Kizza Besigye on the other hand says the walk by Museveni is to celebrate corruption in the country.

The group says it will hold a parallel walk on the same day to protest corruption tendencies in Uganda.

A statement issued on Friday last week by Betty Nambooze, the spokesperson of the People’s government and Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament, said their president, cabinet members and willing Ugandans will match from the group’s offices at Katonga Road to the Constitutional Square in City Center.

The same is planned to take place in all districts across the country under the leaders of the People’s government.