BY MEDDIE KITYO
NEWS EDITOR
RULING National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party youths of the Uganda Poor Youth Movement have sounded warning bells to President Museveni ahead of Presidential address on the Covid-19 pandemic update that he must open up the economy or they will announce National mass demonstrations.
In a statement released by Uganda Poor Youth Movement cordinator Isa Kato, youths have been quiet and everything has jammed because of the lockdown. At its expiry tomorrow, if the president announces its extention, they will have no other option but to announce National demonstrations.
Isa Kato has told News Editor Media that, “NRM Poor Youth are cordially summoned on short notice for Wednesday 20th May Demonstrations. We are going for a National disobedience if the President fails to lift the lock down. We are totally fed up.”
“During this period, different organizations are firing employees, Government is firing people without a single pay yet at parliament, MPs are in a cash bonanza.This is madness. Poor Youths are going to protest against this move of giving MPs 40M each, we shall protest against Organizations firing their staff.” Reads NRM Poor Youth statement.
They say, many youths have been affected in the lockdown, if the president doesn’t lift it and order companies to desist from firing staff, “We will use the language he understands better.”
In his televised address, the Head of State is expected not to open Schools, Churches, Mosques, sports arenas, bars, night clubs and public transport being top places for concentrations.
Museveni is expected to address the issue of truck drivers who have continued to carry the coronavirus to Ugandans as he extends the lockdown.
According to his statement posted on his facebook page today mid day, Museveni has said, “At 8pm tonight, I will deliver my 14th address on the Covid-19 pandemic. I urge Ugandans to continue observing all guidelines given to you by the government and health experts. Importantly, make sure you wear a face mask whenever you are out in the public.”
However, we are told, it has been postponed to tomorrow Tuesday
NRM Poor Youth say, if the president goes ahead to take that route, they will be left with no other option but to call for a National disobedience.
“How can you lock us inside our homes hungry and jobless while truck drivers are roaming the streets of Kampala? And you think we will allow this any more? Wait you will see. We are going to protest about government mafias reaping billions out of this Pandemic.” Warned NRM Poor Youth.
Their National cordinator Isa Kato has told us, they are protesting against Government move to deduct UGX 10,000 from all employees as a contribution to the Covid-19 Task force.
NRM POOR YOUTH STATEMENT
Dear all Ugandans, we greet you in the name of God.
We thank you for the spirited fight you have put up and the zeal to fight the spread of Corona Virus within the Country. We congratulate you for the bravery and endurance you have exhibited from the time our Country was closed in March 2020.
We have however observed that the period during which we are under Quarantine, our Leaders have decided to take advantage of the situation by allocating themselves money, stealing people’s donations, allocating themselves contracts and all sinister moves orchestrated to make sure they never open up the Country.
We are emphatically asking the President to tell us why he is still locking up the economy of Uganda?
We are asking President Museveni to explain to Ugandans why he is dishing out 40 Million shillings of Tax Payers Money to each Member of Parliament?
We want the President to explain why they are planning to take 10,000/= from each Ugandan Employed under the guise of national contribution? This is an illegal deduction and thuggery.
We want the President with his Governent to explain to Ugandans how Cargo coming inside the Country keeps on increasing with a closed economy?
We would like the President to give clear guidance on the issue of Rent dues which Ugandans are supposed to pay immediately they return to work in their shops and offices. The President has been deliberately avoiding to speak about this grave concern.
The President is hereby asked to open the Country since they have failed to come up with any reason why they keep Ugandans inside their homes. Ugandans should be left to go and work while reminding them to wear Masks, Wash hands with soap and maintain social distancing as per the Health Officials Guidelines.
We need a clear solution over the truck driver’s contagion.
We have brought out all these concerns on behalf of the people of Uganda.
If Government is not listening to us the voice of all Poor People of Uganda, then we are calling upon all active political youth groups, main stream political parties and all concerned Ugandans to walk to State House Nakasero and Petition President Museveni seeking for an explanation.
