The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) has been unveiled as a bona fide political party, with Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta as its new president general.
This came after, members of People’s United Movement (PUM) agreeing to change the political party name to NEED.
Launched last year in September, NEED has been a political movement promoting economic empowerment among Ugandans.
“About two years ago when I was going into the presidential elections, I was quietly approached by Mr. Shadrach Ogemba and his colleagues at People’s United Movement (PUM) party. They told me that they had keenly followed my arguments and had come to the conclusion that we have a lot in common and I was pushing the same ideology that they had in mind when they registered their party in 2005. They invited me to join their party, and I did,” Mr. Kabuleta disclosed during a Delegates Conference that took place at NEED headquarters in Kampala on Monday.
“Now the delegates conference of the party has agreed to a new constitution, and they have elected me as president of the party,” he added.
During the same conference, Mr Ogemba the outgoing party president handed over instruments of power to Mr. Kabuleta.
Addressing journalists at the sidelines of the Delegates Conference, the former presidential candidate promised to transition Uganda from dictatorship to democracy.
“We chose economic empowerment as our creed because it is the truest form of empowerment, and we know that our oppressors have built a population that is dependent on them for sustenance and is therefore easy to subjugate. Our plunderers know that their time is up. In public they speak like they are tightening their grip on power, but in private they hope that they can be allowed to retain their loot after Ugandans have reclaimed their country,” Mr. Kabuleta warned.
“I know that there are many people in diverse sectors who choose to hold onto this system, and even oil it, not because they don’t see its evils, but because they are scared of an unknown future. They don’t know what it holds for them.”
Mr. Kabuleta further assured Ugandans that the change NEED proposes will be to the benefit of every citizen, saying that it was not the kind of change that causes disruptions, disorder or that seeks old scores.
“We are not coming after anybody’s wealth. If you are rich, good for you. You are not on our first order of business when we take power. Our priority will be the millions of destitute people dispersed across the country. We believe that it is possible to empower people and put money in their pockets without giving them handouts. That is what NEED is all about,” he noted.
“I have said this countless times before and will say it again, the numerous resources we have in this country are enough to give all its 40 something million citizens a decent life. Therefore, the only people who have anything to fear are the small cluster at the top who are convinced that Uganda is their private estate to be shared out amongst themselves.”
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