The Monitor (Kampala)
Richard Otim
5 November 2009
As various critics blame President Museveni for bad governance, a former don at Makerere University has said it is poverty that is undermining democracy in the country.
Prof Kiboma Gimoi on Tuesday said voters across the country have in the past been ensnared into taking wrong political decisions due to influence of material and financial inducements.
"With high poverty levels you cannot expect democracy. You can imagine an elder in the village voting for a person because of a sachet of salt and bread. I cannot blame such a person but poverty," Prof. Gimoi said.
He said poverty syndrome has also been responsible for poor decision making by some Members of Parliament whose reliability has been compromised by material benefits.
"Our representatives (in Parliament) have been bribed many times and can no longer be trusted. Anything can happen with them and by the time a voter gets to know, a wrong decision has been taken on behalf of the constituency," Prof. Gimoi said, citing the lifting of presidential term limits by legislators after allegedly receiving inducements from President Museveni.
He was speaking at a dialogue organised by the National Association for Equal Development in Soroti Town which aimed at ensuring possibilities of equal opportunities for citizens.
Ms Winfred Adio, a former delegate for Kapelebyong County in the Constituency Assembly, called upon the government to address inequalities in education so that conditions of people living in rural areas is improved.
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