Presidential
candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change, Col. (rtd.) Dr. Kizza
Besigye left Kampala in the early afternoon today to campaign in Mubende. His first rally was at 1:30
p.m. at Kigarama where he addressed about 3000 people thanking them for
standing with him in prayer while in he was in jail.
He then proceeded to Kalunda
and addressed approximately 5000 people explaining that the current tax
system which punishes the poor was unfair. He gave an example of people
being forced to eat before 6:00 p.m. because they cannot afford paraffin
due to high indirect taxes. He promised that FDC will reduce taxes so
that people can afford basic necessities. At Kalunda he was given a
symbolic key to State House.
Kizza Besigye then proceeded
to Mubende town where about 30,000 people welcomed him. He asked if
people were satisfied with the job that Museveni had done in the last five
years to which they responded ‘No!’ He asked them to assess whether their
standard of living had improved over the last five years and based on that
to vote wisely, elaborating that if their lives have worsened then they
should not vote for Museveni but for FDC. He told the people that they
were living in poverty and getting very poor education and should not
reward Museveni for their predicament. He said that even Museveni knew
that he had done a very poor job and that is why he had to print many
campaign posters because he had no achievements to sell his candidacy. At
that point people started handing in NRM-O cards while KB proceeded to say
that it is the people and not himself saying Museveni should go. He told
his supporters to remain strong and resist harassment and vote for FDC.
At Kasambya KB told a
gathering of about 8000 people that in the last five years three million
people have descended into poverty, and were now reduced to eating fish
bones, they have no jobs, and women are watching their children die
because of lack of medicine in hospitals. He promised that all this would
change in May when he becomes president because his government would work
for the people and not relatives, friends, and in-laws. He told voters to
sweep Bisanjja out of power..
YOU SEE? Mugongowazi (fish bones) on display
at KB rally
At Kasanda where there were
about 12,000 people, Kizza Besigye told them he had returned from exile in
South Africa to find people eating fish bones. He said Museveni’s
remaining hold on power was through intimidation and vote rigging and he
asked people to be on the look out for those who will be trying to steal
votes so that they are prosecuted. At Bukuya, KB told a gathering of
nearly 8000 people that State Hose expenditure is much higher than that of
agriculture yet State House caters only for Museveni’s family while
agriculture is for the whole country. He promised that this will change
after the upcoming elections if people resist intimidation, and guard
their votes jealously. He decried the high cost of electricity where it
was available and added that even those who received expensive electricity
were the lucky few because the government had failed to provide
electricity for the majority of Ugandans.
At Kiboga KB briefly
addressed a crowd estimated at 13000 and asked people to resist
intimidation and guard their votes. He then proceeded to Ntunda where he
repeated the message of guarding votes to 5000 people. The entourage then
returned to Kampala and will continue campaigns in Central and Western
Uganda for the remainder of the week.
KB was accompanied by Dr.
Suleiman Kiggundu, Mr. Mukalazi Kibuka, Ms. Joyce Sebugwawo, and Mr.
Kanamala Kanamwangi.
Ends.
FDC Reporter
FDCNEWS
FDC suppoters in Luwero carrying KB's effigy
