HON SSEMUJU RAGE AGAINST DR SUDHIR IS MISGUIDED

By Ben Ssebuguzi 

 

 

 

I thank Hon Semujju Ibrahim,former Kira municipality member of Parliament for the sensitivity to national matters and putting government to account for public expenditure. Putting government to account ensures that public officials act in the best interest of the citizens rather their own private interest.

 

 

 

President Yoweri Kaguta Museven has always stressed that fighting the loss of public funds requires collective,citizen led approach, and famously stating that individual inaction will result in collective failure. 

 

 

 

However, when you study and make analysis of Hon Ssemuju's submission on television when he listed a number of Dr Sudhir Ruparelia properties rented by government, he doesn't specify that it is illegal for government to rent properties of indigenous investors especially when government is experiencing some shortage. 

 

 

Neither does Hon Ssemuju specify that in the PPDA act that it is illegal for one to have more than one transaction with government. Instead he uses a pejorative language laced with intense emotional appeals and grievance narratives,which makes the public start to see their investors as bad people yet they pay taxes and employ thousands of youths. 

 

 

 

Dr Sudhir Ruparelia is a known local investor who started from a humble way with only $25,000 saved from odd jobs as a tax driver in the UK and used the virgin opportunities brought by NRA liberation to heavily invest in real estate in Uganda, which helped government hire his services in order to serve citizens better.

 

 

 

His support to government has helped to grow our economy to enable government steadily build their official buildings such as Uganda police headquarters plus the justice and order sector.

 

 

 

It is not a new experience that government rents properties of private people and institutions. It is common knowledge that the Kingdom of Buganda also rents many of their properties to government where they earn collosal sums of money. Why does it became mischievous when it comes to Dr Sudhir?

 

 

Recently ,Dr Sudhir donated ush50m to Teso kingdom on top of the free eye camp in Bukedia where over 3000 eye surgeries were conducted hence giving back to communities under Ruparelia foundation.

 

 

I implore Hon Ssemuju should be investigating if public servants select Dr Sudhir properties on merit through competitive bidding as per the PPDA law than most times exciting masses.

 

 

In conclusion,When citizens, media and institutions demand transparency and responsibility from their leaders ,it shows how a country functions,but on the other hand,speaking negatively about someone like Sudhir who has stood with us since 1990s when government didn't have enough resources, is very painful and betrayal of trust. Hon Ssemuju might not have bad motives but sometimes he incites the public to under look investors yet they are our lifelines.

 

Long live General Yoweri Kaguta Museven,Long live Hajjat Uzeiye Namyalo SPA/PA,manager Office of the National Chairman (ONC)

The writer is the Head of Research ,ONC