President Museveni has urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to ensure roads are regularly maintained.
Speaking to residents in Agule, Pallisa District, Mr Museveni expressed concern that the ministry has all the equipment and resources it needs, but its staff are ‘sleeping on the job.’
‘I have cautioned Mr Katumba [Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport] and [his] people to wake up because [they have] all the road equipment like graders, rollers, excavators, loaders but roads remain in poor state,’ Mr Museveni said.
He added: ‘They continue to maintain some of these roads. For instance like the road that I used while coming looked like it just [been] done because of my coming. It had no murrum, it was not compacted and when it rains it turns into a swimming pool.’
The President also challenged the districts to fully utilise the equipment that were given to them.
‘Each district has its own equipment and addition of Shs1.3b. Where does this money go? If the money is not enough tell us so that we add more money,’ he said
Mr Museveni also challenged the district leaders to properly construct the roads. He cited the road he used, which had no water channels.
‘Were they making a road or swimming pool? The leaders should put more emphasis on supervision on these people,’ he said
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate also encouraged the public to embrace government programmes that are tailored to fight poverty.
‘As you have come here even poverty is also waiting for you, no sugar. So NRM wants its people to earn and be well,’ he said
He added: ‘People mix development with wealth. It is high time people engaged in productive enterprises.’
The Head of State said Pallisa District has 498 villages, of which 477, about 96 percent, have access to safe water, while 21 villages, or four percent, still lack clean water. He assured residents that the government is committed to ensuring every community gets access to safe drinking water.
Mr Museveni also emphasised that every parish should have a government-aided primary school and each sub-county a secondary school. Pallisa currently has 76 primary schools and nine secondary schools.
He further noted that under the NRM government, five seed secondary schools have been built in Pallisa.
‘We are building slowly. What you call history, I call it current affairs,’ he said.
He also noted the NRM has brought peace because of the strong institutions like army, police, and prisons.