The leader of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), Joseph Kabuleta, has said it is still possible to restore hope among Ugandans as the country continues to grapple with high rates of unemployment, high prices of commodities and a narrative of poverty.
Speaking during the launch of the NEED office in Busoga sub region, Kabuleta asked Ugandans especially the people of Busoga not to lose hope at the moment, noting through NEED, they have a number of strategies to empower people economically.
In 2021, Kabuleta rolled out a countrywide campaign with an economic growth message aimed at encouraging Ugandans to demand and restore their lost property such as land and mineral deposits among others.
“There’s need to revive whatever has been rotten in our country. More so our economic status has to be revived. The problems of Ugandans are caused by lack of leadership. I am the only one who is promising more than removing Museveni. We are destroying poverty that has made us destitute, made very desperate,” he said.
Kabuleta said even if Uganda is in a dilemma, the kind of dilemma that is silently choking its populace can be handled and sorted in the space of two years from now if the country happens to get a right leader who cares about the people.
“There are still many poor roads in the regions of Jinja leading to the lake and also to the different homes. The poor water supply has led to the rise of water borne diseases while there are no medical facilities to treat the people,” he said.
Data from the 2016/2017 National Household Survey indicates that 21.4 percent of Ugandans are poor, translating to nearly eight million people. Kabuleta said the country needs leadership who have clear plans to empower people economically.
“As of now, Busoga has no cash crop, cotton and coffee used to be grown here but now it’s no more. With NEED leadership, cash crop growing and other economic resources will be restored in this region,” Kabuleta said.