Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssubi has lashed at MP Robert Kyagulanyi, saying the lawmaker lacks ideological grounding.
The Minister was on Thursday responding to Bobi’s recent remarks that the young people have been disempowered and denied opportunities to thrive.
“Mothers die in child birth, unemployment is everyone’s, the healthcare system is sick, corruption is the headline, the national debt has already placed a charge on our unborn children and grandchildren,” said Bobi, adding, “The economic models are just irrelevant for the present times.”
In a response, Kiwanda said Bobi needs “more data about where we were with colonialists; where were in 1986 before NRM took over in terms of tarmac, electricity coverage, water, education levels, etc.”
He said Bobi should “develop a better political ideology rather than the generation,” adding, “In politics we concentrate more on an ideology not biology.”
An ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual.
Very often ideology refers to a set of political beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a particular culture.
Bobi had argued in his statement the average age of Ugandan cabinet ministers is about 65 and that the young people continue to be sidelined.
But Kiwanda says ideology is more important than age in anyone’s political career.
“You don’t need to tell me about your age but your ideology,” said the Minister whose family played a key role in the NRA war that ushered president Museveni into power.
“I joined parliament at 26 years and at that age I defeated both young candidates and older candidates and that’s what has been even in the preceding elections,” said Kiwanda.
“So my brother Hon Kyagulanyi, the issue is not your age but your ideology.
Bobi had earlier stated that today’s generation does not have to resort to violence because “as we have seen violence begets violence and the cycle never ends. But we can do something to refocus the direction of our country.”
Kiwanda expressed happiness “when you denounce violence means” but urged Bobi who was recently photographed in a scuffle with security personnel in Parliament Chambers to “put it in action.”
The Minister said success of the past or current generation will be a result of choice not chance.
On disempowering masses, Kiwanda fired back: “For sure the NRM government has put all parameters to enable us thrive even from some us from humble backgrounds.”
He emphasised: “Personally I am from a poor family. I went to rural schools except my University. Hon. Rose Namayanja, Hon. Otto, Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, Hon. Kyagulanyi etc we have succeeded because we made ourselves relevant to our communities. So it’s not true that NRM made us leaders of tomorrow. No. We are in leadership even today.”