Govt plans patriotism lectures in universities
Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda (third right) and members of Mwangaza African Revolutionary Study Group in Kampala. PHOTO / PPU
What you need to know:
- The Minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with Mwangaza African Revolutionary Study Groups, who are charged with the responsibility of teaching ideological principles among university students.
The government has finalised plans to introduce patriotism lectures in all universities and other institutions of higher learning across the country.
The Minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with Mwangaza African Revolutionary Study Groups, who are charged with the responsibility of teaching ideological principles among university students.
“Very few leaders are performing to people’s expectations, not because they do not qualify with credentials but because they terribly miss out on matters of ideology,” Ms Babalanda said as she called for “a deliberate choice to popularise proper ideological thinking particularly among the young people”.
She added: “NRM party is built on NRM ideology and failure of many of President’s ideas and plans to transform Uganda is caused by leaders who are ideologically bankrupt.”
The minister said NRM was built on four core principles of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, social-economic transformation and democracy.
Ms Babalanda asked Mwangaza African Revolutionary Study Groups to allocate more time to issues of the East African integration during training.
“Today, all the graduates leave college to run to politics when they are not ideologically prepared, so your decision to target universities is a very good one,” Ms Babalanda said, and pledged to rally Resident District Commissioners and Resident City Commissioners to promote and support the initiative in their respective local governments.
Senior presidential advisor, who doubles as the chairperson of Mwangaza governing council, Mr David Mafabi, said the President has consistently identified ideological disorientation as the major bottleneck in Africa’s development.
Mr Mafabi said at least six universities have gained from the Field Outreach Programme.
These are Muni, Arua, Gulu, Lira, Kabale and Makerere University Business School Mbarara campus. Teso, Elgon, Bukedi, Busoga, Rwenzori and central zones are to receive the services in September and October.
“The major objectives of Mwangaza among others, is to help multiple ideological study groups in Uganda, East Africa, Africa and its diaspora to be committed to the examination of, the management of society, consolidation of patriotic national statehood and securing the strategic interests of the African people and insuring our future through accelerated political and economic integration,” Mr Mafabi said.
