The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s youngest presidential candidate, John Katumba surprised Gulu city dwellers on Saturday when he walked along the main street with two bodyguards and another person carrying his campaign poster. The 24-year-old Katumba was in Gulu city to canvas support for his presidential bid.
Bonny Okema, a phone technician along the main street told URN while laughing that he was shocked by the rare view of the presidential hopeful. Okema explained that he had thought that the country`s youngest presidential candidate was an artist shooting his video since he was moving with youth who visibly looked like street gangs.
According to Okema, it was not until he heard the youths chanting our president, saw the armed police guards and campaign poster when he realized its a presidential candidate. Katumba was dressed in a navy blue khaki suit, pink shirt and black shoes.
Mary Akello, another voter said that she was shocked when Katumba visited the Gulu main market surrounded by a group of youth and started addressing vendors and passersby. The 34-year-old Akello said it was her first time seeing a presidential candidate moving freely and looking casually.
Katumba who spent almost an hour moving along Gulu city’s major roads including Lagara, Coronation and Moroto road later addressed a handful of people in front of Gulu main market as they cheered him on. He told the residents that he wasn’t campaigning but touring the country to ascertain the problems people are facing in order to advocate for change.
He decried the appalling livelihoods of Gulu residents, persistent electricity blackout, poor roads, poor education and exorbitant taxation of vendors.
Katumba who campaigned for less than twenty minutes pledged to promote talent among youths, create equal employment opportunities, free education and establish cooperation for women in order to improve their livelihoods once elected into office.
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