{UAH} Excitement as President Museveni welcomes 3800 FDC defectors

"Leave the lies and come home"
December 01, 2013

President Yoweri Museveni has today received over 3800 Forum for
Democratic Change (FDC) defectors who crossed over to the NRM party
and pledged support to government programmes and loyalty to the party.

"Welcome home. It is high time that those still in the opposition FDC
to leave the lies and come back home and support development,"
President Museveni speaking to the new converts at Rukungiri Municipal
stadium said, adding that the NRM is the only party that is founded on
unity and development.

"NRM is the only party which was started as a uniting factor for all
Ugandans unlike other parties founded on religious and tribal grounds
like DP, UPC, Kababa Yeka etc. This created problems for our country
for a long time," he said.

The President who is also the NRM national chairman welcomed the
converts and called on party leaders and supporters to embrace them
and not treat them as enemies. He called on them to guide and support
them to embrace government programmes including modern agro production
to fight poverty and create wealth in their homes.

The ceremony follows a recent meeting in which leaders of the FDC
defectors met President Museveni at his country home in Rwakitura
Kiruhura District and pledged their support to government. They in
turn invited the President to Rukungiri to meet their followers and
preach the gospel of development and also to dispel rumours that they
were handpicked from Kampala to go to Rwakitura.

The President used the occasion to call for behavior change in the
fight against HIV/AIDS saying while government has provided drugs to
prolong live, they are not a cure. He urged Ugandans to live
responsible lives and those who are sick to seek treatment.

Initially President Museveni commissioned offices for the Rukungiri
Development Organization SACCO in the Municipality and said such
SACCOs are an important tool through which government can channel
support to the local people. He said while government started
programmes such as NAADS, very few peasants have benefited from the
programme and many never get to know what the money is used for. He
urged members to embrace modern agro production to improve their
incomes and generate wealth.

The President later participated in a fundraising occasion for Christ
the King Parish Church where he pledged Shs 60million and paid Shs 30
million in cash towards completion of church project to house shopping
malls, a primary school and park yard at a cost of Shs 6 billion.

The Deputy RDC Harriet Nakamya welcomed the President to the district
and said the new converts had pledged to work with the government to
support development in the district.
The area Member of Parliament Jim muhwezi welcomed the new converts to
the NRM and said it is time for them to reap the movement fruits they
sowed.

He hailed President Museveni and the regional leaders for the EAC
Monetary Union Protocol they signed yesterday, saying this will go a
long way in transforming the lives of their people and fostering
economic growth in the region.