President opens a 10-day NRM Parliamentary Caucus Retreat

President YoweriMuseveni, who is the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) opened the 10-day NRM Parliamentary Caucus Retreat by reminding the NRM Caucus members that the NRM was founded and is always guided by the four principles of Nationalism, Pan-Africanism, the need to cause Social Transformation and the promotion of Democracy.

The President said that the National Resistance Movement, right from the 1960’s, had the above principles as the foundation of the National Resistance Movement ideology and always used them to safeguard the organization’s methods of work.

Mr. Museveni, who addressed a number of issues, ranging from politics, economic, Party and National building, attributed the prevailing economic problems in the country, to power shortage that was brought about by the delay in constructing of Bujagali power dam which, he said, was largely the work of the saboteurs in the 8th Parliament.

He said that further economic problems had been caused by elements of the political elite and pseudo environmentalists who have blocked the increase in sugar production in the country.  He further sighted corruption in the public service as another additional problem to the economic problems in the country. 

The National Resistance Movement Chairman, however, told the National Resistance Movement Parliamentary Caucus that the situation was not out of hand as portrayed by elements of the opposition using some negative members of the media.  He said that the existing economic problems will be put to order if not disturbed by elements of the political class.  He noted that if the economy has been growing at 6.5% in the past years with power shortage since 2005, then what will happen when Bujagali dam is commissioned in a few months?

On Nationalism as a major principle of the National Resistance Movement, the President said that before the emergency of National Resistance Movement, the existing Parties were either religious or tribal in nature and lacking a National identity and character and it’s only the Movement that was founded and held a National membership and character.

He said that although there has been attempts by the negative political players to drag and portray National Resistance Movement as a partisan Party, such efforts have been defeated and shunned by Ugandans who largely cherish National Unity as was manifested in the 2011 elections won overwhelmingly in all regions of Uganda notwithstanding the fact that some political player emphasized and rallied on religious and tribal cards.

On Pan-Africanism, Mr. Museveni said that the Movement supports the African countries whose people share a lot such as culture, history and linguistic facts in addition to complementaries in the economy and said that the East African Federation was such an example.

On the democracy, the National Resistance Chairman said that principally it should be such that the leader should lead the people the way they want to be led but also advise them where they think they may be going wrong.  “A leader should not just join a band wagon of the lost.  Just because of populist ideas because you may lead the people you lead into regrettable problems”, he said.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Amama Mbabazi, who is also the National Resistance Movement Secretary General, reminded the National Resistance Movement Parliamentary Caucus that as a ruling Party Caucus the failure and success of the Party largely depended on their performance. He said that the National Resistance Movement made pledges in their manifesto and were elected upon these pledges and had a duty to ensure that they are honoured before going back to the electorate.