“During the tenure of the NRM government, poverty is by choice. For anyone to remain poor is their choice. How can you say you are still poor yet there are many initiatives introduced by government to alleviate poverty. If you had a restaurant on top of your current job, you would not be so much affected by the pandemic and the resultant lockdown. That is the mindset we are talking about. It is your choice” – State Minister on Microfinance Haruna Kasolo (14.07.2020).
Sometime someone says something really outrageous and insane. State Minister Kasolo is one of them. As he launched the Emyooga, the same Operation Wealth Creation, SACCOs and NAADs poverty alleviation tool the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have used for ages without any results.
It is like changing name on the same thing, but expecting different results. Buying the same sort of players with the same skills and expecting to win the league. You got to pick better, more talented and experienced ones to win a league. However, the NRM just switches a name, relaunching it and calling it the winning formula.
That is why for a government ruling the Republic since 1986. A government that has promised to be middle income country for ages. A party and President promising wealth, jobs and a new industrial revolution. Have certainly not achieved that. When poverty is a choice. The inconvenient, gig-economy and hand-to-mouth. The lack of institutions and policies to change this.
However, blaming it on the citizens, the peasants and the ones suffering in it. That is such a Noble approach. While spreading the news of Emyooga. The bastard child of OWC, the SACCOS and NAADs. The newest Presidential Directive to dodge poverty. If the previous ones didn’t work. Don’t expect the same tools going to work in 2020.
The Minister can lie to himself. Like he made a choice and dodged the bullet. He bought the bulletproof vest and got away from the suffering. No, he just joined the ruling regime and drank their Kool-Aid.
Instead of inspiring people. The Minister demeaned them. Insulted them and calling them lazy. That they are idle and its their fault they don’t have money. Not like its a robust economy or exponential growth in the near future. That overnight the NRM will create the Shangri-la and the Singapore of Africa. No, that is disturbing the eating, kickbacks and general looting of the Movement. This is why the State Minister has to blame someone.
The ones his blaming is the average citizen, the peasant and the ones who are struggling to get by. That is disgraceful. Therefore, is the up-coming slogan for the NRM: “Poverty is your choice”. It is maybe not as clinging as Steady Progress, but it cannot be true. When a minister tells that living poorly is choice. No one is choosing that, but that is the reality they are living in. Not by will, but by default. Everyone wants to live with comfort and safety. Not wonder if they are eating the next day. How foolish is the Minister?
His a fool with a title. Peace.
MinBane 