Fort Portal Municipality Member of Parliament, Alex Ruhunda, said that the dialogue was long overdue. He said that the country is struggling with corrupt, selfish leaders who also lack leadership skills.
Leaders in Kabarole district
have embraced the Uganda National Dialogue.
In December, the Government and the Working Group of Seven - WG7
organizations adopted a communiqué authorizing the convening of the Uganda
National Dialogue.
The WG7 includes Inter-Religious Council of Uganda- IRCU, The Elders’ Forum of
Uganda – TEFU, Inter-Party Organization for Democracy - IPOD, Citizens’
Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda - CCEDU, Women Situation Room -WSR
and National Consultative Forum –NCF, and Uganda Women's Network –UWONET.
The communiqué was a culmination of three years of consultations with citizens
and leaders across the country on the need for a national dialogue where
Ugandans can freely give their views on what should be done to make the country
a better place to live.
Last month, the Uganda National Coordinating Team randomly selected the districts of Gulu,
Kabarole, Katwakwi, Buikwe, Luuka, where they are meeting leaders of all
categories and residents in selected Sub Counties as a pilot study.
On Wednesday, the team met political, religious and cultural leaders in Kabarole at the district
headquarters in Kitumba.
Fort Portal Municipality Member of Parliament, Alex Ruhunda, said that the
dialogue was long overdue. He said that the country is struggling with corrupt,
selfish leaders who also lack leadership skills.
Ruhunda says that stringent measures should be put in place to
deter such kind of people from becoming leaders in future.
//Cue in: “And whoever is…
Cue out… to provide leadership.”//
Godfrey Okwi, the Uganda People’s Congress – UPC Coordinator in the Rwenzori
region noted that ensuring a peaceful transition of power should be among the important
things to be discussed in the main dialogue.
//Cue in: “All of us…
Cue out… you people spearheading.”//
The Kabarole Resident District Commissioner – RDC Steven Asiimwe, called for
regulation of churches. He noted that many fake pastors are cropping up in the
country.
The other members emphasized the need to have national values and having in
place mechanisms that can help end the high levels of unemployment and corruption
in the country.
Beatrice Kiraso, a member of the coordinating team, says that after the pilot
study, the team will review the issues raised and then roll out the nation-wide
citizens dialogues at all Sub Counties and then to the National Dialogue
Plenary and finally to the National Dialogue National Conference which will
adopt them as laws and policies of the country.
