Prof. Baryamureeba stresses a point during a press briefing at the Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) in Gulu town on December 12, 2015.
One of the presidential candidates in the Uganda’s 2016 election has said that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled for 30 uninterrupted years, is no longer a “Beacon of Hope for Africa” as was once described by American presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton.
“During the first ten years of his rule (1986-1996), one can say, yes, Museveni was a beacon of hope for Africa. You cannot say that anymore now, that, he is still a beacon of hope for Africa. Today, Museveni is in reverse gear because of overstaying in power. He has messed up his legacy and is no longer a beacon of hope. We are sliding and we are changing the reverse gear. ”
Professor Venansious Baryamureeba, who is one of the eight presidential candidates in Ugandan election, made the remarks during a press conference in Gulu town on Saturday 12th December 2015 from the Northern Uganda media Club (NUMEC) office.
Mr.Baryamureeba, who holds a PhD in Computer Science and is also the founder of Uganda Technology and Management University, says he will create one million jobs during the first year of his rule to cater for the unemployed young graduate professionals, once elected president in 2016.
He said Canadian, American and European companies hire cheap labor from China and India to tutor their children and also to keep their books of Accounts online.
He said Uganda is only two hours ahead of Europe and six hours ahead of America and therefore has better advantage to be employed by these companies than Chinese or Indians and at a cheaper rate. He said there are families who need online tutors for their children instead of taking these children to school and the tutors are paid about US$2000 per month.
“You only need to put in money to attract such companies who wants professionals to do work for them online to come to Uganda. Ugandans can do what they want done. You only need the legal environment and advertise.” He says.
Mr. Baryamureeba said once elected into office, he will increase the budget allocation to the education sector from current 8.7% to 20% and spend 4.8 trillion shillings up from 2 trillion shillings. Other sectors he will invest heavily on are health (16%) and agriculture 11%.
“I have been to health units where there are no drugs and trained staffs. You cannot have a hospital without a single doctor”.
Uganda currently spends more on security, infrastructure developments and administration than on those key sectors where agriculture alone employs more than 80% of the total work force.
“If we don’t address the issue of education, then the problem of skilled labor and unemployment will be a big problem to our future,” he says.
He said he will set minimum salaries for government employees. Those who should earn shs.500000 are those without certificates. Those who should earn shs.600000 are those with certificates. Employees who should earn shs.1000000 are diploma holders while graduates are to earn shs.1500000 and it should apply across the board.
He said he will solve the question of job creation and unemployment through the implementation of the “Regional Tier” governance as provided for in Uganda Constitution of 1995.
“Unemployment in Uganda is so bad that young people between the age brackets of 16-18 are already drunk by ten o’clock in the morning. This is reason for disaster”.
“I will make sure that 70% of the National Budget is split to the regions where development is concentrated. Only 30% of the national budget will be spent at the center”.
Who is Prof. Baryamureeba?
Prof. Baryamureeba was born on May 18, 1969 in Ibanda district in Western Uganda. He holds a PhD in Computer Science. He was the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Kampala (MAK) between 2009 and 2012. He is the founder of Uganda Technology and Management University. He has vast experience in Public Policy and is widely travelled. He is married to an Acholi lady called Jennifer Angeyo and the couple has two daughters.
