Kampala|On Thursday, June 6, 2024, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni exercised his constitutional mandate by delivering a State of Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament at the Kololo independence grounds.
Some citizens argue that his SONA failed to address critical issues confronting the country.
Like these citizens, Uganda’s opposition political party, the UPC, which led the country twice under Dr Apollo Milton Obote, appears unimpressed with the President’s SONA.
Arach Oyat Sharon, a spokesperson for the UPC, stated, “As we believe that our citizens are our nation’s greatest resource, we believe that the State of the Nation Address should prioritise their interests and how best their general welfare can be improved over what was addressed.”
Speaking to the media in Kampala on Wednesday, Oyat stated, “We (the PC) hope that the 2024 budget speech will give this country a clear direction.”
In place of the President, the Minister of Finance will read the budget speech on Thursday, June 13.
“In his address, the President indicated there is a surplus of milk production in the country and that we need to make use of the East African Common Market for its consumption. Recently, the same government instructed both the school authorities and parents/guardians to start feeding pupils and students on a daily milk diet without considering in mind that it is (milk) out of reach to majority of our people in the country and this caused an uproar from the public,” UPC added.
“The only way this can be a reality is to establish farms across the country with high yielding breeds, pastures and good animal husbandry practices which include routine vaccination.
“The figure of government funding for a primary and secondary school child under Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), respectively is abnormally very low for a term! This affects the quality of education in the country hence producing half-baked products whose foundation is very poor.”
UPC noted that the learning environment is not only unconducive to learners, but also to teachers whose welfare is very wanting as well as facing salary disparities. At the extreme, Oyat said a good number of teachers are failing to take their children to school due to ever rising school needs.
“This is equally the same with other parents/guardians who are still repaying old term’s school fees on top of the new term that has just commenced.”
UPC has reiterated its call to government to harmonize salaries of teachers and the special treatment given to science teachers should equally be extended to arts teachers as well.
The government should be cognizant that people have different skills and with our struggling economy, they both face the same socio-economic challenges that are highly demanding. “The UPE and USE funding should be revised upwards.”
As for health sector, UPC said is confusing that there are persistent reports of expired drugs that the government has to destroy in the wake of scarce drugs to our people in health outlets.
“UPC calls upon a functioning health system whereby the medical staff are well facilitated with both a good pay and conditions of welfare that includes accommodation within the medical facility.
“As regards to the ideas of reducing the tax burden to manufacturers and traders, we need to industrialize as quickly as possible. UPC agrees that domestic production offers many benefits; use of local raw materials and offering maximum employment opportunities which can stimulate the real economic growth and development.”
The local manufacturers and traders need to be supported with friendly loans. Abnormal interest rates which is a recipe for high cost of goods and services, and inflationary should be avoided, according to the party.
If we are to make significant progress, UPC advises the government to increase its involvement in domestic banking and revive important historical organisations like the Uganda Commercial Bank and Uganda Cooperative Unions.
“We still need to improve on our infrastructure especially transport links. The roads should be in good shape and meet our standards in the region of East Africa. Both the Meter Gauge and Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) give the cheaper cost of transportation of goods and movement of people.
“However, as a country, we are terribly lagging behind in rolling off these projects. The regional integration is easily achieved when you have a sound transport system and this can lower the cost of production of goods.
“UPC has highly noted with concern that the excuses of corruption and misuse of tax payer’s money boggles down service delivery and reduces the integrity of our institutions which affects the various stages of nation-building.”
UPC says it considers corruption as a cancer! Once allowed to persist, it can eat up the whole country, putting our livelihoods at stake. “This therefore calls for a head-on approach to rigorously fight corruption without any hesitations.
“Let us be nationalistic and patriotic in real senses when it comes to our motherland, Uganda and Africa.”
Oyat emphasised the message of his party president Jimmy Akena that they are going to have a serious conversation on the future of this country in 2026.
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