POLITICS: On Thursday, 9th, March, 2023, Uganda’s National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) Opposition Party President, Joseph Kabureeta officially opened party’s new offices at Nalukolongo.
Mr. Kabureeta said by leaving their former posh neighbourhood, they wanted to get closer to the people where people can be comfortable every time. “Politics doesn’t rally in posh neighbourhood, it instead rallies in neighbourhood like this.” He said.
Kabureeta further explained that the party, (NEED) office is going to be the centre of discussion of all things that are going on and build their structures in the city and across the country.
Speaking to journalists at the launch of their new home, the party Mr. Kabureeta smilingly informed journalist that what makes their party (NEED) unique from other political party is that they came out with a purpose of sending an ideology before a personality.
Kabureeta revealed that most existing political parties have been wrapped around a personality where one big personality starts a party and form a cult personality where people are following the person and the party is just a vehicle.
“We want to create a party where the ideology is the vehicle and people just come and attach themselves to it” Kabureeta adds.
Kabureeta boldly told journalists that NEED as a party, believes that God gave this country enough resources to make all of us live a comfortable life only that we have greedy leaders. He adds that if the problem of bad leadership is sorted, everyone in Uganda can have a good life.
He pinned the ruling government for using divide and rule as a tool to propagate itself in power. He gave a childhood example that whole growing up, they thought people from northern Uganda were bad people until Just recent during the 2021 elections when he went to the north to popularise NEED ideology and northerners told him if he comes from certain tribes, they won’t vote for him a thing that made him ask himself who divides us.
Kabureeta believes that if we decentralise power in Uganda just like Kenya by electing governors in different regions resources will be split equally. He adds that if we have these governors’ power to work for their regions all regions can be developed.
Kabureeta said he plots to reduce the number of MPs to 150 in the parliament, he adds that at the moment, MPs can fill the stadium but that number can be reduced and have a smaller parliament that can sit in one room and discuss matters of national importance.
Responding to a structure reform question by our reporter, Kabureeta said Uganda already has structure he gave an example of the police. He said that he’s trying to avoid activism politics where politicians fight with police seeking for cheap popularity but for NEED, their target is to convince people that by voting for NEED, they are voting for themselves.
“We are going to do politics not just in Kampala but across the country. And real politics not activist politics of exciting people and go away.” Joseph Kabureeta
“In the one year that we’ve been in existence, there’s no region that has not felt our presence.” He adds.
During the official opening of the party offices, Kabureeta assured supporters that he’s not a buyable politician because he doesn’t do things outside his means.
“I come from a very strong conviction that if something isn’t in my means, I go with what is in my means.” He added
He added that what makes people go to the ruling party in the night behind closed doors is trying to go outside of their means which eventually makes them vulnerable.