Dr. Patrick Wakida, the Chief Executive Director of Research World International and a renowned supporter of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change Party, has defected to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.
Dr. Wakida who has for long been a critical think-tank in the FDC party announced his defection on Saturday, November, 9th, 2024 during the meeting of leaders from Bukedi region with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Butaleja district.
He was received by President Museveni, who is also the NRM Chairman, who congratulated him for accepting the right ideologies.
Dr. Wakida, who hails from Kibuku district, pledged to closely work with the NRM government in combating poverty within the region.
“As a researcher, the Bukedi Subregion has a high poverty rate, which requires special commitment to address.
I realized that without power, I’m unable to combat poverty among our people. This is the only region where you enter a house and smell poverty.
Therefore, I join the NRM party to search for that power to empower our people,” Wakida said.
He defected along with some area leaders drawn from various districts within the region.
Richard Todwong, the Secretary General of the NRM Party, welcomed Dr. Wakida and thanked him for abandoning the opposition.
In a meeting Dr wakida expressed his concern of how his area people are suffering of poverty.
President Museveni response on poverty he says that in his governance since, he has used many ways to reduce poverty which includes parish development model (PDM).
He adds that if all ways fails he will use the bush strategies. “As I fought the label war in bush I will the same strategies to win the poverty war in Uganda” Museveni said.
In a meeting with the area leaders president Museveni discussed strategies on how to successfully implement the Parish Development Model program in order to create wealth among the people.
