Speaking at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital after touring the facility last week, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said it was because locals voted NRM-leaning leaders into office that they had ‘such a good hospital.’ She said Mukono Municipality, ‘which always votes for Opposition, doesn’t have such a health facility because [Betty] Nambooze doesn’t come to us to request such developmental projects.’ The prime minister’s utterance is quite unfortunate coming from a senior leader of government, which is charged with delivering equitable social services such as education and medical care to citizens countrywide irrespective of their religious, ethnic, and political affiliations.
The government does not need to wait for ‘requests’ to conduct its duties, which citizens pay a lot of money in taxes for. It is incumbent upon the government and its officials at all levels to ensure that all regions of the country have properly functioning schools, hospitals. Roads, bridges and ferries on water bodies must also be in good condition. Furthermore, access to clean water is a fundamental human right that the government should uphold. The responsibility also lies with the government to ensure the safety of the wananchi and their properties. These responsibilities must be fulfilled by the government irrespective of whether Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, who is a member of the National Unity Platform, or any other top area leader has pointed out a shortcoming or not.
The government employs thousands of people who can easily alert it to challenges experienced by specific areas around the country. What the prime minister uttered recently is similar to remarks made by other National Resistance Movement (NRM) government officials over the years whenever people from areas led by Opposition-leaning leaders complain of poor social services. The disgruntled locals are derisively told that they are reaping the fruits of their choices, with government officials saying, things would have been better had they supported the NRM party.
This is unacceptable. People should not be deprived of services owed to them simply because they do not support the party in power. Being a member of the Opposition is not a crime. It should not be used as an excuse to deprive people of their rights and relegate them to second class citizens. We call upon all candidates– those affiliated with parties and independents– standing for the various positions, from the local government to the presidency, to bear in mind that if they are elected into office, they should treat all people equitably.