By Isaac Niwagaba Naboth
apearlnews.com
Henry Musasizi Ariganyira, State Minister of Finance (general duties), has urged youths to avoid sectarianism politics, arguing that such politics are merely a diversion designed to keep voters from holding elected leaders accountable for poor service delivery.
The Rubanda East Legislator, who doubles as Rubanda District NRM Chairman, was speaking as the Chief Guest at Kakore Catholic Parish in Hamurwa Town Council, Rubanda District, during the closure of a four-day youth conference that ended yesterday.
He said that a section of political leaders with no proper manifestos have started attempts to divert him by using social media, especially WhatsApp, to distort every good news story about our performance.
“Some political leaders who joined this game without vision have started attempts to divert us.” They are using WhatsApp idlers to distort what we do for the country. “We are used to such enemies of development, and we shall not stoop to their level,” he said.
Musasizi added that the politicians sponsoring sectarian-based sabotage on WhatsApp have run out of ideas, and dividing people along religious lines has remained their last weapon against him, adding that they shall be defeated.
“They have completely run out of ideas.” “Sectarianism is their last weapon, and we shall defeat it too; God is our helper,” he said.
Minister Musasizi’s words come after a recent wave of social media attacks against his church donations, in which a section of WhatsApp users accused him of favoring the Catholic church at the expense of other faith-based societies.
He advised his political rivals to invest their energy in working for the people for better bargaining power in the next election.
“If you want to defeat Musasizi, I advise you to work for the people,” Musasizi said, quickly adding that he doubted any of them (his rivals) would perform better than him compared to what he has already done for Rubanda District. “They can only defeat me in propaganda, but when it comes to working for the people, I’m far ahead of them,” he said.
He used the platform to outline several projects he has funded in the Church of Uganda’s Kabale Muslim District, which covers the Kabale, Rubanda, and Rukiga Districts. The projects range from the construction of worship structures to fundraising for conferences and church-founded microfinance institutions, among others.
Hon Musasizi charged NRM leaders across the country with intensifying teaching youths about the NRM manifesto and ideology, which calls for unity based on patriotism, pan-Africanism, democracy, and economic transformation, as a means of protecting them from sectarianism politics.
“The youth need to know these things. It’s where President Museveni has built this country’s foundation of progress and development. Musasizi noted
The Kakore Parish Rev. Fr. Herbert Agaba and Rev. Fr. Young Buregyeya, who’s the youth chaplain at Kakore Parish, commended Musasizi for the financial support he gave to their first youth conference. Hon. Musasizi contributed U.G. Shs. 2 million and pledged to pay 10 million in registration fees for the first 2000 youths who will register to participate in the next youth conference in January 2024.
