VOTE OF THANKS TO COMMUNICATION FROM THE PARTY PRESIDENT

By Nathan Okwakol (Pallisa) - Member, Party Representative Council

The Chairman, PRC, The Chairman and Members of PPC, Members of the PRC, Congressmen and Congress women

I feel greatly honoured and privileged to have been requested to move a vote of thanks to the Communication from the Party President, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote. Congressmen and Congresswomen permit me to speak of the Obote I know; the Obote you know. Without doubt our Party President is a great son of Africa, a nationalist, lover of his country Uganda and her people, a true selfless and tireless worker and nation builder. These attributes are easily discernible from his communication to the PRC at this historic meeting, today the 24th Ma, 2002. I say historic because it has been held on the eve of a conference to mark the Golden Jubilee of Multipartism in Uganda.

The communication from the Party President is particularly incisive on the obnoxious Political Parties and Organisations Bill (POB) which seeks to kill our great party. The Party President clearly shows us the way forward. Herein lies, Dr. Obote greatness. Whereas the NRM is hell-bent on destroying all that the UPC built, Dr. Obote assures us that he can see 'light at the end of the tunnel'. He believe that conditions are changing for the better - enabling us to rise up, once again, to work for a prosperous Uganda at peace with herself and her neighbours.

Congressmen and Congresswomen, our Party President's communication is a clarion call to rise up and defend our country and the rights of our fellow citizens. But our Party President is thousands of miles away in Lusaka, Zambia. He is represented here in Uganda by the comrades seated in front of you who constitute the PPC. They are working under very difficult circumstances and need all our support. If you love our Party President as well as the party, as I believe you do by the way you have come at short notice in such large numbers from all parts of our Country despite threats and intimidation, then support the PPC to the hilt. You can do this by acting as a link or bridge between our party faithful country wide, and Uganda House - the Political Parties and Organizations Bill (POB) notwithstanding.

I thank you.