By Dr. George Didi Bhoka, MP Obongi Constituency
As citizens of Uganda, we should be grateful to God, especially during this Lenten period, for the gift of a beautiful country richly endowed by both God and nature. The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda confers citizenship by birth, foundlings, adoption, and registration. Citizenship carries with it rights, responsibilities, and obligations. We must therefore take pride in being Ugandan citizens.
As citizens, we have a duty to demand from government the protection and promotion of our fundamental human rights and freedoms, as enshrined in Chapter Four of the Constitution. These rights include the right to life, equality and freedom; protection of personal liberty; respect for human dignity; protection from slavery, servitude and forced labour; protection from deprivation of property; the right to privacy of person, home and property; the right to justice and a fair hearing; and the rights to health, education, social protection, association, economic development, and an improved quality of life.
All power in Uganda belongs to its citizens, particularly those aged 18 and above who are of sound mind, and who exercise their sovereignty in accordance with the Constitution. All authority in the State and Government emanates from the people of Uganda and is exercised through regular, free and fair elections of leaders — the President, Members of Parliament, and decentralized local government leaders.
I congratulate the citizens of Uganda for their participation in the recently concluded general elections. I commend those who supported the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its flag bearers, as well as candidates from alternative political parties and independent candidates who earned the confidence of the electorate. I look forward to unity of purpose across the political divide, so that we may focus on our shared national interests and development aspirations, as stipulated in the National Development Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.
Every political organization and its flag bearers traversed the country with a value proposition embodied in their party manifestos, which influenced voters’ choices at the polls. In a special way, I appreciate the NRM manifesto, themed “Protecting the Gains,” which builds on the achievements in security and development, and seeks to address pressing challenges facing citizens. These include security of lives and property, health and well-being, education and skills development, social security, wealth creation, infrastructure development, financial inclusion, good governance, accountability, and the fight against corruption, among others.
The realization of the social contract between government and citizens requires a concerted effort from the public sector, private sector, civil society, communities, and individual citizens. As elections come to an end and a new government takes shape, it is time for all stakeholders and duty bearers to translate words into action.
Ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments must ensure that campaign promises are reflected in Budget Framework Papers and Ministerial Policy Statements, with adequate budgetary provisions to progressively implement programmes, projects, and services that improve the quality of life of Ugandans.
The civil society and private sector should align and harmonize their efforts with government policy and strategic direction, particularly the ambition to grow the national economy tenfold by focusing on agricultural industrialization, tourism, infrastructure, science, technology, and services. This will broaden the domestic revenue base and reduce dependence on external assistance and loans.
As citizens of the Pearl of Africa, we are duty-bound to be patriotic and loyal to our country, to promote its well-being, to engage in productive work, to save and invest, and to contribute to the development of our families, communities, districts, regions, and the nation at large. We must uphold democracy, the rule of law, good governance, and actively combat corruption.
Together, through responsible citizenship, we can transform Uganda from a predominantly peasantry society into a peaceful, united, and socio-economically developed nation within the Great Lakes region and across Africa.
