KAMPALA – Outspoken Kabale Diocese priest Fr Gaetano Batanyenda has accused government of deliberately refusing to admit that time has come for the youth such as Kyandondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine to take over the leadership of the country.
Addressing journalists in Mbarara Town on Friday, Gaetano warned that failure to give youth a chance could result in serious consequences for the ruling party.
“There is succession at every stage and you have to accept it but unfortunately, the NRM government and President Museveni have refused to heed to this so it’s a wakeup call to youth in the country that leaders want to keep you where you are, unemployed, miserable and not anywhere,” he said.
Fr Gaetano’s comments come as government continues to grapple with the people power political wave led by Bobi Wine.
In December, police blocked Bobi Wine’s music concerts, citing failure to fulfill the requirements. However, analysts view the move as attempts to cripple him financially.
And using an analogy of a mother refusing to deliver a baby whose delivery date has reached, Fr Gaetano warned that government’s continued blocking of Bobi Wine will turn the youth against the regime.
“After nine months of pregnancy, the baby must come out, that is succession, if the mother does not give birth and the baby is mature and feels is not in the right place and the mother has refused it come out, the baby chooses to die with the mother,” he said.
He added,” If me and President Museveni were sat on will I be a priest, will he be a President, there is succession at every stage and ignoring this comes with severe consequences.”
The priest also lashed at religious leaders whom he said are choosing to side with the government for selfish interests.
In particular, he attacked pastors who criticized Bobi Wine’s song ‘Tuliyambala Engule’.
“It is very unfortunate that there is part of our own who have diverted from liberating souls out of injustices and preaching true word of God to pleasing political leaders, this is hypocrisy and I appeal to my colleagues that it has to stop and we fight for the good of our people,” added Gaetano.
