WHY IS IT THAT MANY UGANDA WORKERS DON’T SEE IT WORTH CELEBRATING LABOUR DAY?

 WHY IS IT THAT MANY WORKERS IN UGANDA DON’T SEE IT WORTH CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY ON MAY 1?

Some of the major reasons:

1) The monthly pay by both Government and the private sector cannot enable most workers to meet the basics in their lives;

2) There is lack of patriotism by many in Government;

3) The institutionalized corruption;

4) The implementation of a plan by the NRM to see themselves in power for as long as possible;

5) The patronage schemes in place.

The issue of the pay

Many workers, when they get to compute what they routinely have to spend their money on, you find that there is a deficit. It is this deficit that forces some workers to steal Government stores, to charge clients for services that should be free, to absentee themselves from work and others to steal through wrong accounting or inflation of what is procured.

The lack of patriotism by many in Government.

There is a disconnect between the people of Uganda and many policy makers in Uganda Government. The way the problems of the people at grassroots leaves a lot desired. One can look at many schools in the countryside. Some are not fit to serve the purpose they do. But because many in Government cannot take their children to such schools, the priorities are completely different. The spirit of the love for their country is not genuine among many in big Government offices and this demoralizes many Ugandans.

The institutionalized corruption is synonymous with the NRM Government. The IGG has talked about the trillions of shillings stolen in Uganda by those who are connected. There is no serious mechanism by Government to ensure that taxpayers’ resources have value for money. At the end, those who steal Government money are found buying huge chunks of land, putting up malls here and there, many are involved in conspicuous consumption, buying properties others have earned titles like: “Abagagga abato” young millionaires just to mention a few.

The patronage scheme 

This scheme is most unfortunate. It has retired men and women who are called Presidential advisors. These are people who should be retired and living on earning assets they invested in during their active working life.

We have a huge cabinet and Parliament which are simply exploiting the taxpayers. Those who pay taxes just don’t get the services they would expect simply because those in the patronage scheme take the lion share of the available resources.

When it is campaigns time in Uganda, the amount of national resources spent to support NRM candidates cannot be under estimated. More often than not, members of the NRM Caucus are rewarded in money terms as a thank you when they vote the way the executive in Uganda wants.

Lastly, I wish to bring my personal experience of how NRM Government can be frustrating.

I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE PROCEEDS TO MY FUNDRAISING(S).

M/S Bank of Uganda, Cairo Bank Uganda and ABSA Uganda.

http://williamkituuka.blogspot.com/2010/09/kind-appeal-for-moral-support-and_01.html?m=1

http://billkiwanuka.blogspot.com/2014/10/kiwanuka-kituuka-for-2016-uganda.html?m=1

http://kiwanukaofunityinafederateduganda.blogspot.com/2015/05/kiwanuka-kituukas-appeal-for-financial_7.html?m=1

I came up with a strategy to fundraise in 2010 so that I could stand for the Presidency of the country in 2011. Because we have people in Uganda who believe that they are entitled, they decided to make a strategy which involved the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Uganda, Ministry of Public Service and then Cairo International Bank. The money I raised was shared under what was eventually called a ‘Pension Scam’. I knew very well that with my over 500 emails through which my appeal was made, I had to raise good money. These people who see themselves as entitled decided to steal the money. All I was told in Cairo International Bank is that ‘I had not received any money’.

That is how far the morals of some people in responsible banking institutions as well as some Government departments have gone.

Of course, having served as a Commercial banker in my earlier working life, I tried to analyze the situation and it was clear that the money I raised is what some connected people shared.

It was not only in 2010 that I was treated that way. In 2015 I opened an account in Barclays Bank to help me collect proceeds to my fundraising for President in 2016. It was the same story. Having sent emails the whole of 2015, Barclays Bank told me that they had not received funds for me.

12 and 7 years respectively today, I have reached out to Government departments which would help solve this matter. I cannot tell you how frustrated I am. When I went into fundraising, I knew my chances were not there against a person who uses state machinery. My consolation was the funds I was to receive which were to put a difference in the lives of those who stay in Namutamba Parish - Mityana District. Many people would have better employment now, but all the money was stolen by people who are connected. It will be by Grace of God that I recover any funds raised in the circumstances we are in.