Independent Presidential candidate, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi has apologized over the mess in which over 60 billion shillings meant for post conflict recovery in northern Uganda and other parts of Uganda was stolen by officials in his office while he was Prime Minister.
The Post Conflict Recover Programme (PRDP), a government programme which was heavily bank-rolled by donors was meant to address the post conflict recovery needs of northern Uganda.
But in 2012, the Auditor General uncovered gross thefts of over 60 billion shillings of PRDP money officials in the Office of the Prime Minister under whose docket coordination of all PRDP activities fell.
Speaking at Kaunda Grounds on Tuesday, Mbabazi apologised for the thefts but said he was not directly responsible for the loss of the money.
The Prime Minister is the political head of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)with the Permanent Secretary (PS) as the technical head.
The PS of the Office of the Prime Minister at the time of the PRDP thefts was Pius Bigirimana who was hailed as a ‘‘whistle blower’’ by the president in uncovering the thefts.
Mbabazi was not investigated over the thefts.
Mbabazi asked people to vote for him for Uganda to have a peace handover of power, something he said has never happened in the history of the country.
He also said he would protect Acholi land from ‘‘grabbers.’’
“My government will see that your land is protected and not grabbed. It is true many greedy people are eyeing your land,” Mbabazi told the rally.
When asked by the crowd why he did not help northern Uganda over the many years that he was in Government, Mbabazi said he was not the president and that the president is the decision maker in government.
Democratic president Norbert Mao urged the crowd to vote for Mbabazi saying its Mbabazi who will this time round ‘‘hit the snake on the head’’( an allusion to Museveni).
‘‘Many people including me tried beating this snake but it looked like we have all been beating the tail and the snake was getting angrier but now I can tell you that this man from Kigezi region will hit the head of the snake once you give him your votes, “ said Mao.
The DP boss also told the rally that he will contest as Gulu municipality member of parliament, a position he had previously occupied for two-terms.
“I have already heard your call and I am coming back to work with you in the municipality.’’
But Mbabazi’s maiden Gulu campaign did not go without incident. Before his arrival, youth camped at the roundabout on the entrance to Gulu town carrying placards written on: ‘‘Amama bring back our money’’ and ‘‘we want our PRPD.’’
