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UN removes Sudan from the list of countries that support terrorism

Miiro Allan — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 12:09:15 +0000

The UN secretary general António Guterres has told African leaders that it’s time to remove Sudan from the list of states that support terrorism.

This was addressed during the annual African union summit in Addis Ababa the capital city of Ethiopia, Guterres said UN will now extend support to Sudan.

African Union summit 2020,Courtesy Photo

The 33rd African Union (AU) summit was a two-day meeting, under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”

The annual African Union summit begun on Sunday February 9^th 2020, the Libya conflict and Sudan where the most important issue on the agenda.

Sudan has been welcomed back to the international scene after the overthrow of the former president Omar al-Bashir.

Africa leader at the summit will later discuss on how to restore peace and end civil in Libya

Congregations Sudan

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Malawi top court annuls presidential election results

Agencies — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 18:54:32 +0000

Malawi’s constitutional court has annulled last year’s controversial election, which saw President Peter Mutharika re-elected.

The judge found there had been widespread irregularities in the May 21 vote.

This is the first election to be legally challenged since Malawi’s independence. A new vote will take place within 151 days.

According to the electoral commission President Mutharika won May’s election with 38 percent of the votes [Eldson Chagara/Reuters]

There have been regular anti-government protests since the election.

President Peter Mutharika was declared the narrow winner of the May election with 38 percent of votes, followed by Lazarus Chakwera with 35 percent and former Vice President Saulos Chilima third with 20 percent.

The challenge was brought by Lazarus Chakwera (left) and Saulos Chilima (centre) against President Peter Mutharika (right)

The four other candidates collectively got nearly six percent.

The five-judge panel heard arguments that the vote was rigged by the president and electoral commission. Both have denied it.

Malawi’s electoral commission acknowledged receiving 147 reports alleging irregularities including the use of correction fluid to alter some results.

The two main opposition candidates alleged that the irregularities affected over 1.4 million of the total 5.1 million votes cast.

Mutharika and the electoral commission acknowledged some irregularities but argued they were insufficient to affect the election’s outcome.

Map showing Malawi

The months-long court case has been accompanied by sometimes violent street protests demanding the resignation of electoral commission chairwoman Jane Ansah.

“Let’s try as much as possible to have elections that are free and fair. Where nobody feels cheated. These people were not just demonstrating for the sake of demonstrating. They strongly felt that they had been cheated. The system had cheated them,” Martha Chikuni, opposition protester, said.

The Malawi Human Rights Commission late last year released a report accusing the police of serious human rights abuses, including rape and assault, in one confrontation.

The judges themselves have come under pressure. In January, Malawi’s anti-corruption bureau arrested businessman Thom Mpinganjira, who was accused of approaching two judges with an offer of $135,000 to sway justice in favour of the president. The chief justice issued an official complaint to the bureau.

Mpinganjira was later released, however, after a magistrate in another court issued an order quashing the arrest warrant. The High Court then overturned that ruling, questioning the lower court’s conduct and ordering Mpinganjira’s arrest.

The international community, including the United Nations and African Union, has issued several statements before the vote urging people across Malawi to uphold the rule of law and remain calm.

A joint statement by diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and others acknowledged the tensions around the ruling.

The vote in May returned the sitting president to power, leading to deadly confrontations and widespread unrest [Amos Gumulira/AFP]

“Malawi can draw on an impressive history of institutions and leaders stepping forward to safeguard your democracy and ensure peaceful resolution for internal tensions,” the statement said, urging all parties to respect the court’s decision – as well as the right to appeal.”For those who choose to exercise their right to demonstrate, we urge you to do so peacefully and legally, and for security personnel to proceed with balance and restraint,” it added.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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Ugandans advised to stock food as locusts advance from Kenyan side

Samuel Wamuttu — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 17:22:13 +0000

Ugandans have been advised to stock food as a precautionary measure to counter the effects of desert locusts that are a mere 166 kilometers from the Uganda-Kenya border in the north eastern region of Karamoja according to Uganda’s Ministry of Information and National Guidance.

Turkana is about 166km from Karamoja, meaning the locusts can reach Uganda in less than two days.

Locusts can cover as much as 150km a day and a swarm can destroy crops sufficient to feed 2,500 people for a year, according to the United Nations.

Experts estimate that the insects are capable of destroying at least 200 tonnes of vegetation per day.

Since the invasion in Kenya late last month, districts in Karamoja and eastern Uganda have been put on higher alert and the public asked to report to the nearest extension staff any ‘strange grasshoppers’ detected.

A desert locust on a tree

However, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has assured the country that government has made preparations to ensure the imminent locust invasion is prevented.

He described it as an emergency that requires immediate intervention during an Inter-Ministerial meeting comprising Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Internal Affairs, Defence, Security, Environment, Local Government, East Africa Community Affairs, Presidency and Disaster Preparedness and Uganda Wild Life Authority.

He urged the public to stock food reserves as a precautionary measure.

“With an imminent threat of locusts invading our country from our neighbors in Kenya, I would like to assure the public that the Government is taking this matter seriously and consequently, different agencies of Government have been instructed to work together and collectively heighten our preparedness to prevent and handle the invasion,” the Prime Minister said in a statement on January 21.

He said the Ugandan government is in contact with authorities in Kenya to explore ways of jointly addressing the challenge.

Locusts invasion

What experts in the region say

According to The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the severe Desert Locust outbreak in the region is threatening rural food security across East Africa.

IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu while calling on member states, the East African Community and partners to pull resources together to prevent, control and possibly eradicate the Desert Locust, said the desert locusts is a threat to livelihood in the Horn of Africa.

“IGAD calls on Member States, the East African Community and partners to pull resources together to prevent, control and possible eradicate the Desert Locust threat to the food security of the region,”said Dr.Workneh Gebeyehu,IGAD’s Executive Secretary and added, “Prevention and control measures must be scaled up to contain further spread of the Desert Locust”.

Locals take to chasing locusts from the fields

In a statement, Dr. Gebeyehu said the invasion is a threat to food security of the region. He called for scaling up of prevention and control measures to contain further spread of the Desert Locust.He urged member states to act urgently to avoid a food security crisis in the region.

The Executive Secretary urged for increased ground surveillance for early detection. He called for use of wind forecasts, to help pre-empt trajectory of desert locust bands and swarms as well as immediate regional mapping of current invasion and forecast trajectory.

Dr. Gebeyehu urged countries to act urgently to avoid food security crisis in the region through aggressive targeted aerial and ground spraying and immediate up scaling of aerial control operations.

IGAD is appealing to governments to make use of the mass media especially Radio to disseminate and educate the public in order to aid early detection and reporting.

Map showing the spread of the desert locusts that started from the Greater Horn of Africa

“Encourage citizens to report any incidences of desert locusts,” said Dr. Gebeyehu in the statement.

Dr. David Phiri, FAO Sub regional Coordinator for the Eastern Africa and Representative of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa warned that the locust invasion is worsening the food security situation in the region.

“The locust is making a bad food security situation worse in the sub-region, exacerbating the existing dire food insecurity and malnutrition in the sub-region,” said Dr. David Phiri, FAO Sub regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa.

Dr. Phiri further warned that the weather seems favorable for the locust breeding in high probability that the locust will continue to breed until March-April 2020.

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that the large immature swarms are spreading from the initial invasion areas of Mandera County, south of Wajir and Garissa, west along the Ethiopian border in Marsabit county and southwest into central areas of Isiolo, Samburu, Meru and Laikipia counties.

The UN body says one immature swarm is 60 kilometers wide. FAO further warns that the swarms are expected to move into the Rift valley’s Baringo County and move northwest into Turkana County.

Other swarms are expected to move to Tana River County, while others will move to the northeast Uganda and southeast South Sudan. When the swarms mature, they will begin to lay eggs in the sandy moist soils giving rise to numerous hopper bands in February.

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Churches postively impacting on women

Sarah Aanyu — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 14:03:55 +0000

It is interesting to go to church and get involved in the different programmes that have been set to make sure women are catered for. It is even more interesting to listen to women sharing their testimonies about the activities that happen in those groups in churches.

Female preachers take a group photo. Net Photo

Miriam Kanyago who serves as an usher and a choir member in Faith Mission in Nsambya comes to church early, leaves late and keeps busy while in church always something that prompts me to ask what drives her passion.

“This church has really transformed in and out,” she said almost passionately and continues, “I was a drunkard and drug addict who did not have where to sleep because all I cared about was getting money to buy the drugs and alcohol.”

She says she derives her strength to keep going from the message in the songs, which she has used to influence her friends, and they too have turned away from drugs and alcohol.

“There is a way church programs impact your life in every aspect because there are moral lessons for every kind of person in whatever they attend,” she says.

I spoke to other women to find out how they have been impacted by the different programmes in church.

Mothers union counselling programs

Joyce Waniala, a mother’s union member says this is one of the most active groups in churches because each church has wedded women who meet, get to know each other and discuss serious marriage issues.

She says this has mostly helped when it comes to the betterment of the marriage because women who attend them are counselled, they share their experiences and given some hands on skills that they put into practice to spice up their marriage.

Net photo

“There is always something knew I learn from our weekly sessions and this has helped me keep my marriage interesting since I keep trying out whatever we are told and adopt the behaviour that keeps me away from trouble with my spouse,” says Waniala.

With the counselling and encouragement that women get from one another, many marriages have been improved and kept because each time a woman feels like the marriage is not working out, the fellow women give her reasons to stay.

Fellowships

Rose Margret Katengeke, a teacher and counsellor at Pearl Africa says a fellowship is something she

cannot afford to miss and fact that they happen during lunch breaks, she can take her time off school to rush for a fellowship.

“These fellowships soothe my soul especially when I am burdened and I am tempted to do something drastic, I just leave and go to church because I know I will find comfort there,” says Katengeke.

She further says there is meeting many people who have different life stories is life inspiring and gives you a new life direction each day despite the ups and downs that you are going through you find time to counsel another one.

She affirms that fellowshipping sometimes turns into one’s lifestyle and defines who you are in the society you live in.

Charitable programmes

Constance Kana, a pastor at Faith Ministries says church has a lot to offer and she personally enjoys the charity drive initiative that the churches take part in.

“That is one of the active programme in church and we as women organise and make sure it happens so that the needy people are able to get what they need to at least live a comfortable life,” says Kana.

She says this does not only end in church because some women have made it part of them and have some personal ventures that they solicit for items to donate to those who need it.

On the other hand, Christine Shimanya, a chaplain in the Uganda parliament says charitable works is not only about helping the needy but also doing church cleaning, arranging chairs, ushering and many others that you can do to save the church from incurring expenses.

Choir practice

Kana narrates that choir practice is joined by many not only because of passion but also because they will get to interact with other people.

More to that, she says this is convenient for many because these practices usually take place in the evenings a time that finds many free so there is a good turn up.

Photo of women in church. Net Photo

“It is during these practices that the women interact with each other, get guidance and counselling that greatly helps them in running their daily lives,” says Kana.

She adds that this has kept women away from a lot of idle talks that have caused them problems with the people around them.

Confirmation

Christine Shimanya says most women are the ones who are directly involved when it comes to their children taking their confirmation classes.

She says this is very significant because it shows the children how important confirmation is basingon how involved their parents are in the whole process.

“Confirmation has enabled people raise their children in the righteous path due to the fact that they study confirmation which has very many teachings to learn from,” says Shimanya.

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Putting sanctions on African countries is the act of cowardice- President Museveni

Brian Kisembo — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 12:32:52 +0000

President Yoweri Museveni has disagreed with the idea of putting sanctions on African countries particularly Zimbabwe calling it the act of ‘cowardice’.

President Museveni is in Zimbabwe for a two-day visit as the chief guest on the official opening of the 60^th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo.

Museveni, called the act of putting sanctions as cowardice the fact that Zimbawe has been under sanctions from United States of America close to two decades, Britain and other countries from the European Union.

“I want to condemn the sanctions which have been put on Zimbabwe for such a long time,” Museveni said, referencing the close to two decades that Zimbabwe has been under sanctions from the United States, Britain and other countries in the European Union.

“The idea of sanctions is cowardice,” continued Museveni. “If somebody is wrong, leave him. He will fail by his own mistakes. Why do you have to put sanctions,” queried Museveni.

Also this is a problem of us Africans, we don’t work closely together. If somebody puts sanctions on one of us, we also put sanctions on them. I don’t agree with those who say Africa is much weaker to work together. OAU and the frontline countries worked together to support the struggles for freedom in South Africa. If we discussed closely and cognately we can have a greater impact,” he added.

Various calls have been made by various leaders and certain groups asking U.S, Britain and EU to lift the sanctions on Zimbabwe. Contrary to the call, all have extended the sanctions to one year pending the implementation and adoption of certain reforms including respect for human rights, rule of law and freedom of the press.

President Museveni also hinted on the idea of working together as African Countries and pledged support to Zimbabwe in case of need.

“I want to encourage you to be steadfast in the challenges imposed on you by external factors. We shall stand by you. Zimbabwe is a rich country; let’s work together and develop this huge potential of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“We had died and been buried. But we rose again. Uganda now has got one of the fastest growing economies in the World, Zimbabwe can do the same.

“we should work together to exploit the big potential of Zimbabwe particularly the wide range of minerals available in the Southern African country,” Museveni added.

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UK Investors struggle to get Shares in Uganda oil sector

Agnes Tumuheire — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 10:27:12 +0000

The businessmen from 11 UK companies, that deal in petrochemical, pipeline, power and renewable industries, met up with senior Ugandan delegates on Monday on a trip organised by the director of the non-profit Energy Industries Council,Mr Terry Willis.

The discussions centered at how the firms can scoop some deals for contractor, supplier or operator businesses.

They also shared information on investment environment, and potential partnership prospects.

The UK Prime Minister’s Trade envoy for Uganda and Rwanda, Lord Dolar Popat, while at the British High Commissioner’s residence yesterday, confirmed that they were to meet President Yoweri Museveni Monday evening.

“I want to see the UK revive and restore its trading relationship with Africa, which not so long ago accounted for 25 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product, but which has lamentably fallen to barely 3 per cent,” Lord Popat said.

“As we (UK) prepare to leave the European Union, we have no choice but to be bold, enterprising, forward-looking and outward-reaching. The oil and gas sectors offer some of the most exciting possibilities for the UK, and my job is to connect British businesses to those possibilities.” He added.

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Uhuru Kenyatta not interested in changing Kenya’s constitution

Brian Kisembo — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 06:39:08 +0000

President Uhuru Kenyatta revealed his intentions of not willing to change the constitution in order to run for another term in office.

This was said in an interview with Richard Quest of CNN on Friday last week, a video that was later released on Monday.

“I’m not interested in a third term,” Mr Kenyatta replied while asked if he has a plan of changing the constitution.

Kenyatta also revealed that his handshake with the now African Union Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa Raila Odinga was meant to bring about development to Kenya.

“We’ve said, ‘Look, we don’t have to always agree on everything. But we can agree on things Kenya, and we can agree that this issue of cyclical elections has to come to an end,'” the President said.

CNN’s Richard Quest interviews President Uhuru Kenyatta last week on Friday

Among other questions, Kenyatta was also questioned of whether he is bothered by the country’s debt to the Chinese.

Kenyatta revealed why people are only focusing on China as the only lender to Kenya and not other multilateral lenders like World Bank and African Development Bank.

“Why are we focusing ourselves only on one lender?” Mr Kenyatta asked.

“As far as I am concerned, we have a very healthy mix of debt from the multilateral lenders — who are basically the World Bank and the African Development Bank — to bilateral lenders like Japan, China, France, all who are participating and working with us to help us achieve our objectives,” Kenyatta added.

Kenyatta was also quizzed on China’s intentions of giving loans to African Countries.

“We have an infrastructure gap that we need to fill and we are going to work with our partners across the globe who are willing to partner and to work with us.”

“What would worry me is if the debt that we have incurred has gone into recurrent expenditure, has gone into paying salaries or electricity bills and so on and so forth. But what we have utilised our debt for is to close the infrastructure gap,” he said.

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Over 188 people feared dead after plane crashed into sea in Indonesia

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Raila Odinga appointed Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa

Brian Kisembo — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 13:24:23 +0000

Leader opposition leader in Kenya Raila Odinga was on Saturday appointed High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa by African Union Envoy.

Moussa Faki Mahamat who is the Commission chairperson said the decision was taken mainly to pattern with Africa through infrastructure.

“His mandate includes mobilizing further political support from Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and facilitating greater ownership by all concerned stakeholders,” he said.

Raila Odinga will now work with the intention of strengthening the AU’s departments and those of the Planning and Coordinating Agency of New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

“Raila will pay particular attention to the missing links along the transnational highway corridors identified as part of the Trans-African Highways Network, with a view to facilitating their development and modernization,” He added.

The African Union is pleased to have Raila Odinga who brings in his rich political experience and strong commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and African integration.

Raila worked as Energy, Roads, Public Works, and Housing minister between 2001 and 2005 in Kenya. Raila accepted the call by the African Union Commission and promised to serve.

Raila’s office will be in Addis though his role will be comprised of several travels across the world.He will also have an office in Nairobi Kenya with staff and advisers to work out development strategies with Uhuru.

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State of the Nation address by His Excellence Yoweri Museveni

Agnes Tumuheire — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 12:11:41 +0000

The president of Uganda, his execellence,Yoweri Museveni, on Sunday September o9, delivered an address on the state of affairs in the country.

Among others, president Museveni highligted the urban crime that saw the death of the Sheikhs, of Joan Kagezi, Kiggundu, Kawesi, Magara, Abiriga and scared people.

He stated that “some of the criminals in these murders have been identified, arrested and they are in Courts.”

Here is the President’s delivery in full:

(All Photos by PPU)

Fellow Countrymen and Countrywomen,in, the Bazzukulu.

I greet you all and I start my address by saying that the population of Uganda, on the 26^thof January, 1986, when the NRM took over Kampala, was about 14million People. I say about 14million because the exact number was not known. What was known was that the census of 1969 was 9,535,051 million, the one of 1980 was 12,636,179 million and the one of 1991 was 16,671,705 million. Therefore, the population of Uganda in 1986 was somewhere between 13 million and 16.5 million. That is why I estimate it at 14million. The population of Uganda is now 40million. It has been growing at the rate of 3% per annum.

Why has this population grown at the rate of 3.2%since 1986, yet between 1969 and 1986, it was growing at around the rate of 2.5%? Two reasons: Security of life and property and better healthcare for the population, especially immunization. Yes, there are still problems of shortage of drugs in hospitals etc., but the immunization, which is easier to administer and monitor, has done the miracle. In spite of the AIDs epidemic, which killed a total of 2million young Ugandans and left a lot of orphans, the population of Uganda has grown from 14million in 1986 to 40million today. This population will be 102 million by 2050, i.e. 32 years from today.

President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni: COURTESY PHOTO

Although our economy, by 1986, had shrank to only US$ 3.4 billion, the NRM has been able not only to immunize against all those 13 killer diseases, but we have been able to guard them against terrorism (ADF, Kony, UPA, FOBA) and cattle rustlers as well as providing education to most of the young People. Defending the Ugandans, relying on our own means, was achieved by the NRA imbuing the young soldiers with a high spirit of patriotism that enables them to fight in the grasslands of Northern Uganda, the Cold Mountains of the Rwenzori (in Alphine conditions), in the forests of Congo and in the semi-arid conditions of Somalia without even a murmur or hesitation, at very low pay. They are never fighting for money but for patriotism. With the UPDF, we fight in spite of low pay; with the NRA (the fore runner of the UPDF), we fought long and hard in spite of no pay at all. That is why Uganda has no refugees outside our borders and doesn’t need the UN to defend her. It is defended by the UPDF fighters, imbued with the spirit of patriotism. On the contrary, Uganda that is maligned by some elements, is a safe – haven for 1.4 million refugees from the neigbouring countries of Congo, South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, etc.

On the side of health, as already pointed out, we have relied on immunization –just immunization plus security. If only the District Medical Officers could sensitize our People on hygiene, nutrition, malaria control, behavior change to avoid AIDs and the use of safe water, these measures would eliminate 80% of all the sicknesses. The limited efforts notwithstanding, the population of Uganda has not only increased from 14million in 1986 to 40million today, but life expectancy has gone from 43 years of age to 63 years.

On the side of how we educated these expanding numbers, as we caused recovery of the collapsed economy, a disloyal and corrupt Civil Service notwithstanding, I would like to remind the Country that we have built new classrooms, expanding the number of classrooms in permanent materials from 40,440 in 1986 to 160,381 in 2018. This is for Government Primary Schools. It does not include the figure of Private Schools which are 6,841 in number. The Government Schools are 12,048.The Government Primary Schools and the Private Primary Schools have a total enrolment of 8,655,924million. The Government Secondary Schools are 1,086 and Private secondary schools are 2,862. They have a total enrolment of 1,457,280. More schools –Government and Private – that is how we educated our population so much that the literacy rate rose from 43% to 75%.

We have, therefore, protected, immunized and educated the Ugandan population as it was growing in numbers. How did we do it when the economy between 1971 and 1986 had shrank by 40% to US$3.4 when the population had grown by 2.5% from the 1969 figure of 9,535,051 to the 14million of 1986? As I always tell you in my numerous speeches, the economy of Uganda, as indeed is the case with many countries wanting to modernize from the pre-capitalist state, has got four sectors (obubondo). These four are: Commercial agriculture; Industries (factories) big and small; services (obuwereza)that includes hotels, transport, banking, insurance, professional services such as medical, accounting, etc., etc.; and ICT, which involves using Computers (ebyuma bya kalimagezi–intelligent machines) such as using the internet to do business like BPOs (Business Procedures Outsourcing) etc.

Agriculture should be easy for Ugandans because God had given us very easy life which some do not appreciate, take for granted and carelessly mishandle. Around the Equator and to the South, we get two rainy seasons in a year: the small rainy season (katuumba –March to May) and the big wet season (Ituumba –August to December). Therefore, without irrigation, since time immemorial, the Ugandans indigenous to this area, know that we always have two harvests: obwijegashe (the small harvest of end of May) and Omwaaka (the big harvest of end of December and early January). Indeed, the month of January is called kahiingo orbiruuru. Biruuru because the bird chasers in the millet gardens are making alarms (enduuru) to chase away the birds from eating the crop and kahiingobecause the cattle keepers are not bothered to remove the mihiingo(miyingo), the log barriers that stop the cattle from getting out of the enclosure (orugo),early, because there is plenty of grass for the cattle. The cattle do not have to get out early. Whatever time of day they get out, say 9 a.m., there will be plenty of grass and it will still be soft enough for them to graze on.

One degree North (Kyenkwaanzi) up to the Sudan border (4⁰North to the North West of our Country), we get rain, almost continuously, from the middle of March to December. I had noticed this in the War of Resistance to my surprise. When we attacked Luwero Town on the 16^thof July, it was a wet season in that area; yet around the Equator and to the South, it would have been a dry season (ekyaanda –since June). Indeed, recently, my daughter, Kokundeka Museveni Rwabwoogo, a farmer and preacher of the gospel, was surprised to go to Gulu and find a lot of rain while it had been very dry in the Rwakitura area where she had come from. I told her that that is the Uganda God gave us but “you, the Dot.Com group”, do not bother to understand and appreciate – some of you flying to Dubai etc. I never go anywhere unless I am forced by the business of the Country. Uganda is simply too good. When we attacked Masindi on the 20^thof February, 1984, we timed it because that was one of the few windows of opportunity when it would be dry and the grass would be burnt and the ground would be hard to allow for fast movement cross country.

However, this very environment has also bred an attitude of complacency by the population. When you see people invading the wetlands and cutting the forests, apart from telling them to get out, we should also pray to God that “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (the Bible says in the Book of Luke 23:34).

As I have been telling you repeatedly, many of our people do not only not know how to take care of the Environment, this good gift from God, but also do not know how to take care of themselves and their families. That is how you get 68% of the population still being stuck in subsistence farming (farming only for food for the home but not for money) even by the time of this last census (2014); or if they engage in commercial farming, they do so without ekibaro(proper family economics, aimar, cura, otita).

This phenomenon of 68% of the population being in subsistence economy (okukorera enda yoonka, okulimira olubuto kyokka, tic pi iya)is, of course, not new. By 1970 or by 1962, indeed, the economy of Uganda was being described as an “enclave” economy –an economy being comprised of an island (enclave) of modernity of 3 Cs and 3 Ts, surrounded by a sea of backwardness. The 3Cs were: Coffee, Cotton and Copper from Kilembe and the 3Ts were: Tobacco, Tea and Tourism. At that time, by 1970, a very small percentage of homesteads were in this island (enclave) of modernity. By 1986, this island had disappeared. Only 1 C, Coffee, was limping on. Copper was at zero production, Cotton was at almost zero, Tourism was zero, Tobacco was very much reduced and Tea had gone from 23 million kilograms in 1970 to 3 million kilograms by 1986. This phenomenon of enclave economies is, of course, characteristic of many African economies, the former colonies.

According to our bubondo(sectors), you see that the three sectors of that time had collapsed: commercial agriculture (coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea); Industry (tea, copper and tobacco –cigarettes) and services (tourism). ICT, at that time, had not come on the scene as a separate sector.

Meanwhile, everybody needs to be reminded that the 4 sectors cannot be revived or expanded if you do not have infrastructure, those neutral but crucial elements. These are: electricity, roads, the railway, water works, telecommunications, ICT backbone etc. Without these, no modern sector can operate. How can you transport farm produce if you do not have roads? How will you manufacture or run hotels if you do not have electricity? There is also linkage with the three elements I have already talked about: peace, education and health – which also need social infrastructure already talked about (schools, health centres, etc.).

However, before we link the four sectors with the infrastructure, we must ask one question: What caused the collapse of 1971? We say the island of the 3Cs and 3 Ts collapsed following the coup of Idi Amin in 1971. In fact, the coup of 1971 was the last scene in the collapse that started in 1964 when the unprincipled marriage between the UPC and KY collapsed on the nonsensical and sick quarrel over the “lost counties” – Buyaga and Bugangaizi (present day Kibaale District). You, then, had the 1966 crisis etc., etc. What was behind all this? Ideological bankruptcy. I do not want to go back to the pre-colonial times when our area was tormented by wars of the tribal Kings and how those fratricidal conflicts enabled the colonialists to take over the whole of Africa, with the horrors that went with it. I covered that in my Mzee Mandela speech at Makerere University last year and in other documents. The copies of that speech are here.

By confining ourselves to the events that followed the Independence, we find that on account of the ideological bankruptcy, of the unprincipled exploitation of identity (religion and tribes), the more useful issues, such as the interest (okugasirwa, okuganyirwa), were forgotten. Emphasis was laid on identity of religion or tribe (enzikiriza z’ediini or amawanga). Since all the religious sects and all the tribes in Uganda are minorities, one could not, therefore, get a party that could marshal enough support to form a Government. Hence, the alliance of KY and UPC. KY, a party for Baganda Protestants and some Moslems, UPC, a party for Protestants outside Buganda and DP, a party for Catholics. UPC had got 37 seats outside Buganda, with quite abit of manipulation and DP had got 24 seats outside Buganda. KY, which had blocked direct elections in Buganda, had the monopoly of the 21 seats in Buganda. I was a member of DP while my colleagues, the Kintu Musokes, Bidandi Ssalis, Kirunda Kivejinjas, Nabuderes, Chango Machyos, Kategayas, Rugundas etc. were in UPC. This sectarian and sterile politics of identity did not only block the emergence of viable national parties but also sabotaged the building of a national Army. Karugaba, the first Ugandan graduate from Sandhurst, could not be allowed to even remain in the Army because he was Catholic.

Starting with 1965, some of the youth from DP, like myself, as well as some of the youth from UPC, like the Kategayas and the Rugundas, partly on account of being exposed to global political movements, started seeing the danger of this sectarian politics. We started seeing it as bogus, false, sterile and dangerous. I have exposed that sectarianism elsewhere. Suffice it here to say that we evolved and held fast to the four principles: Patriotism, Pan Africanism, Social-Economic transformation and Democracy. It is around these four principles that we built the NRA (the National Resistance Army), the NRM and prosecuted the Resistance war until victory. After the victory in 1986, the mass movement around the RCs (Resistance Councils) has ensured the unity of the People. This unity, translated into repeated electoral victories ever since 1994 for the CA, has given us time to resurrect the island of modernity and expand it even when our population was growing. You remember that I rejected, repeatedly, the shrill cries of NGOs about population control etc. The problem of Africa has been, actually, under-population and not over population. Africa is 12 times the size of India in land area. Yet, even today when the population of Africa has somewhat gone up, the 1.25billion of Africans are still fewer than the 1.3billion of Indians.

Going back to the resurrection and expansion of the island of modernity (the former 3Cs and 3Ts), what are the figures like

Here below are the figures:

		1986	2017
No.	Items	Quantity	Quantity
1	Tea	3m bags	60m bags
2	Coffee	17,000m.t	5m bags
3	Sugar (metric tonnes)	500	480,000
4	Milk	460m litres	2.5bn litres
5	Maize		2.6m.t
6	Cotton (metric tonnes)	4,400	92,500
7	Beer (million litres)	21.5	350
8	Beef (metric tonnes)	100,550	225,000
9	Soft Drinks (Sodas-million litres)		403
10	Cattle	4.2million	14.4million
11	Sheep	12million	48million
12	Goats	4.8million	16million
13	Chicken	16million	50million
14	Bananas	4,017,986	10,660,567
15	Gold (2016/17)		8,160kgs
16	Tourists		1,402,000
17	Telephones		23 million
18	Fertilizers (metric tonnes)		55,000

Hence, in the last 32 years, the NRM, all other problems notwithstanding, has not only resurrected the island of modernity but has greatly expanded it. That is why the GDP of Uganda which was US$ 3.4 billion in 1986 by the PPP method, is now US$88.6billion. Only the other day, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade of Kenya told me that for some years now, Uganda has been exporting more to Kenya, month by month, than Kenya has been exporting to Uganda. Here below are the figures by months:

Uganda’s bi-lateral trade with Kenya:

Uganda					Trade Balance
Month	2017		2018		2017	2018
Month	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
January	4,504.3	2,179.9	3,522.4	6,945.9	2,324.4	(3,423.5)
February	4,934.6	2,325.3	4,490.0	5,545.7	2,609.3	(1,055.7)
March	4,842.1	2,310.0	4,908.8	4,306.7	2,532.1	602.1
April	3,620.0	1,551.4	3,441.7	4,887.1	2,068.6	(1,445.4)
May	4,009.3	3,620.2	4,942.7	8,527.3	389.1	(3,584.6)
Total	21,910.3	11,986.9	21,305.6	30,212.7	9,923.4	(8,907.1)
% increase	(10.99)	66.07	40.32	22.77	(83.26)	4.71
*Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics*

I never waste time finding out which pygmy is taller than the other one, which is a permanent occupation of some other actors; however, in terms of gauging Uganda’s recovery, it is not a useless yardstick

Therefore, fellow Ugandans, the NRM has protected the health of Ugandans by, mainly immunizing them; has protected them from war and terrorism; has educated them and has revived and expanded the island of modernity. The big four: peace, health, education and the minimum economic recovery and development. The NRM has, however, done something else. Together with the African compatriots, it has worked on the integration of Africa: East Africa Community (EAC), Common market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). While some other actors are always busy trying to revive the sectarianism of religion and tribes, the NRM is always working for patriotism (unity within Uganda) and Pan-Africanism.

The biggest enemies of Africa (in the past, today and tomorrow) are the chauvinists of tribe and religion. We insist on the Patriotism and Pan-Africanism not only as a correct principle of brotherhood among similar or linked people, but also as an unavoidable strategy for ensuring the prosperity of our people. Some years ago, we had a glut (ekyengera, omweru) of milk because the production was higher than the consumption inside Uganda. Some people left the Dairy Sector altogether. Who rescued us? East Africa. The surplus 1.7billion litres is being taken by East Africa and also the World. Recently, we had a glut of maize. The price collapsed. East Africa is the only one that can rescue us. Patriotism and Pan Africanism are a matter of survival for our people. We shall always resist these misleaders and for good reason.

It is not enough to quote the figures of production of industry, agriculture, services or ICT without highlighting the role of infrastructure in all this. Infrastructure is the neutral but indispensable base of production. If you do not have electricity which is cheap, how will you produce factory goods that are able to compete in price and quality with other goods of other producers? If the transport costs are very high, how will our goods compete with the goods of other countries? If the costs of transport, electricity, etc., etc. are high, how will the companies make profit? The NRM had, therefore, to solve the problem of infrastructure even when we did not have enough money.

Do you remember when we used Soya beans to construct Mityana –Mubende road with the Yugoslavs? Do you remember when we had to use the East African compensation fund to construct Mbale – Kapchorwa Road with Mzee Moi? In 2006, I put my foot down and persuaded the NRM leaders, in the Cabinet and in the caucus, to suppress the other expenditures and concentrate on the roads and electricity. That is how you now have the new roads of:

Kampala–Masaka;
Mbarara–Kikagate;
Ishaka–Kagaamba;
Mbarara–Ishaka –Katunguru (on going);
Mpigi–Kanoni –Maddu –Ssembabule –Nyendo;
Jinja–Kamuli;
Iganga–Kaliro;
Musita–Namayingo –Busia;
Mukono–Katosi –Nyenga
Bwaise –Luwero–Kafu –Gulu;
Olwiyo –Koch –Goma –Gulu –Kitgum –Musiingo;
Moroto –Nakapiripirit;
Moroto –Kangole –Katakwi –Soroti;
Matugga –Semuto –Kapeeka;
Hoima –Kaiso–Tonya;
Tororo –Mbale –Soroti;
Mbale –Tirinyi–Nakalama;
Ibaanda –Kamwengye –Fort Portal;
Mubende –Kakumiro –Kagadi –Ndaiga;
Mukono –Kayunga –Kangulumira –Njeru.

All these roads with a total length of 6,027 kms have been built or reconstructed solely depending on the Uganda Government Money. Then, there are other roads worked on using either grants from outside or soft loans. Of course, this is also our money because we pay back the loans, with interest, moreover. Each year we pay US$264 million in order to return the money we borrowed in the past known as debt servicing. Anyway, using loans and grants (the latter are only 1% of the two), we have done or are planning to do the following roads:

Karuma–Pakwach –Arua – Koboko Road;
Gulu –Atiak –Nimule;
Soroti–Dokolo –Lira;
Kasangati–Zirobwe;
Masaka–Mbarara –Kabale –Katuna;
Kabale–Kisoro –Bunagana –Cyanika;
Fort-Portal–Bundibugyo –Busunga;
Kigumba–Masindi –Hoima –Kagadi –Kyenjojo;
Nansana–Busunju –Kiboga –Hoima;
Nyakahita –Kazo –Ibaanda;
Mbale –Magale –Buumbo –Lwakhakha;
Kapchorwa –Bukwo –Suam;
Rwenkunyu –Apach –Lira–Acholibur; etc., etc.

By the same strategy of belt tightening, we have increased electricity generation in the country (the amount of electricity and the transmission of the electricity). In 1986, the electricity being produced in Uganda was a mere 60 mgws. When Karuma, Isimba and Agago (all nearing completion) plus the numerous mini-hydros are completed, our total production will be 2,216 mgws. We are aiming at 17,000 mgws in the next 10 years. We shall develop all the sites on the Nile (such as Ayago, Uhuru, Kiba, Oryang, Murchison etc.), all the geo-thermal potential (ebitagata – hot springs), all the solar potential, some thermal (oil) stations and nuclear stations using our vast uranium deposits. As of today, electricity has been extended to all the districts except for Kotido and Kaabong. Nevertheless, the implementation plan for connecting these districts is underway.

By these five measures (peace, health through immunization, education, regional integration and infrastructure development), we have been able to not only resurrect the small island of modernity of the 3Cs and 3Ts but have greatly expanded it as already outlined above. Here, I will not talk about the other strategic bottlenecks that are also being solved. This is to limit the area of scope for today.

Right now, with the phenomenon of having abundant electricity, which will be cheaper and cheaper as we solve the distortions caused by our corrupt officials, Uganda has reached the take-off point. When I started the Uganda Manufacturers Association with the Late Mulwana, our membership used to be around 80 companies. The factories that we have in Uganda are now standing at 4,725. Only last week, before I left for China, I opened four new factories in one week: one for cement, one for electronic products and 2 for tea. Many factories are in the pipeline for opening. You will be hearing about them. Namanve Industrial Park already has 31 completed, 197 being constructed and 74 in plan for construction. New Industrial Parks are springing up: Kapeeka, Mbale, Tororo, Mbalala, Kaweweeta, Luzira, Jinja etc., etc. This is apart from so many individual factories – like the ones one sees along Gulu road.

With the five points – peace, health, education, regional integration and infrastructure, Uganda is beginning to gallop. We shall soon add on the issue of a modern train that will make the transport of goods cheaper. Transport of a tonne of goods from Mombasa to Kampala is currently US$150. With the Standard Gauge Railway, it will come down to US$74 – a drop of more than 50%. I am not sure that this is all the savings we can achieve. We shall continue to study this. With the Uganda Development Bank, we are addressing the question of the cost of money for factories and agriculture. With low electricity costs, low transport costs, low cost of money and with the 10 years tax holidays, Uganda is unstoppable, given what we have already done with education, health, other elements of infrastructure already mentioned and regional integration.

I have, therefore, taken the trouble to remind you about all this so as to help you reject and treat with contempt it deserves, the present campaign against Uganda by some indisciplined elements or those working with or on the behalf of some external groups that we have detected. Those elements, separately or jointly, cannot stop the galloping forward of Uganda’s economy. Their malice may temporarily affect sectors like tourism but that will be compensated for by customers from other sources.

This take off point could have been achieved earlier if partners like the World Bank had been serious. Unfortunately, they never bother with the basics of the pre-capitalist economies, items like the railway, electricity etc. Instead, they spend so much time on social issues: women rights, homo sexual rights, education, etc. How will you handle social issues if the economy is not growing? How will the economy grow if you do not lower the costs of production and how will the costs of production go down if you do not work on electricity, railway, etc.? Anyway, we had to tighten our belts and build the roads and the electricity by ourselves. We are going to build the railway either by ourselves or with the Chinese support. The Chinese friends also helped us with the electricity and the ICT backbone.

Uganda has never had such a good chance in the last 500 years. The agents of foreign interests and some internal reactionary groups may not see this. However, the people of Uganda see this clearly. That is why, recently, the NRM scored 90% victory in both the LCI elections and the Women Council elections if you include the NRM Independents. Big shock for the mendacious Opposition and its foreign backers.

Nevertheless, there are six areas of weakness that we must address. The first is corruption by Government officials who take bribes. These are easy to uproot. Just get information on them and pass it on to the toll-free number 0800-100770 belonging to my office. This is in addition to a unit I announced during the June 2018 State of the Nation address. You will see what we shall do with them. You heard what I did with the officials in the Ministry of Finance, Immigration and Uganda Revenue Authority. This is a problem that persists because the crooks are not exposed.

Secondly, the indisciplined Opposition politicians that are accused of terrorism against the population, conspiracy to commit arson or treason should be handled firmly by all concerned – the Police, the Prosecution and the Courts. We should not allow these wrong doers to intimidate our people. Telling lies to foreigners will not help them because the facts are on the ground.

Thirdly, rescuing our youth from those indisciplined politicians. The allegations go that foreign money through NGOs, is given to some of our youth to burn tyres on the roads, to throw stones, to commit arson, to rig elections and to beat women. Sometimes, our youth go into these criminal projects because they want money. They do not enjoy doing this. I have this information on good authority. Many of the young people have some education or even good education but they have no jobs, no property and no capital. I addressed this issue during my State of the Nation address in June, 2018.

The effort that we have already deployed of empowering the youth to take part in producing products for import-substitution and export promotion will be expanded to include these youth. These youth are not a problem but an asset. The purchasing power of Uganda is growing. If our youth are helped to produce goods, the Ugandans will buy them; or they will be bought in the region; or, if the quality is assured, those goods will go to external markets.

The NRM MPs, working with me, will ensure that funds are available to expand what we have already started with the Kampala Girl Child, in Najeera, in Rukungiri, in Luwero, etc. All these products the traders are importing from Dubai, China etc. can be made here by our youth. Products like shoes, sweaters, leather bags, garments, processed foods such as maize flour (akahuunga), animal feeds, furniture, carpets, scholastic materials etc., etc. All they need is support and training. How many unemployed graduates do we have? Can’t these run a maize milling operation if they are helped? The ones we supported in Nansana are doing very well. How about leather tanning? How about shoe-making? How about knitting? How about weaving? The more educated ones are engaged in making the Kiira and Kayoola, the solar electric cars and mini-buses, as well as food processing using the Government provided Innovation Fund.

Fourthly, the urban crime that saw the death of the Sheikhs, of Joan Kagezi, Kiggundu, Kawesi, Magara, Abiriga had scared people. Some of the criminals in these murders have been identified, arrested and they are in Courts. We have built up capacity to defeat rural terrorism decisively and rapidly. This is because in the bush, if the enemy is walking through the grass and leaves a track (ekisinde, ekirari), you can easily trace him; in the mountain, he has to pass through certain choke points (obufuunda) where you can block and make it impossible for the terrorists to move. There are also other technical means that help to track the enemies in the rural areas. The criminals in the urban areas are not strong at all. Their main weapon is concealment. In the rural areas, we acquired all the means to nullify the concealment of the terrorists.

In the towns where the criminal does not create a physical kisinde, there are only three methods of shattering the terrorist concealment. First method is prior intelligence when you know who is planning a crime, you gather enough evidence, apprehend the criminal at the conspiratorial stage and bring him to the Courts of Law. It is clear that the intelligence has been weak in the cases where the murders have been committed, like in the cases of Kagezi and the others. This weak area is being strengthened. The second method is to rely on the human beings at the scene of the crime that was being committed – the eye witnesses and the other clues that the criminal may be leaving behind. The third method is to deploy more technical means in detecting and witnessing possible crimes. By the last, we mean cameras, drones and other means. All those areas are being strengthened in the towns as they were in the countryside. When we say strengthening, we mean strengthening. The proof of this is the fact that we have been having huge pre-announced events like the Commonwealth Meeting in 2007, the visit of the Pope twice, the annual Namugongo Martyrs Day when 3 million people gather there etc., without even a single incident of terrorism. It is only when we are relaxed that you get those gaps that the criminals and terrorists use. Another source of terrorist infiltration is, of course, Congo where the terrorists are preserved by the UN, just next to our border. Like we defeated rural terrorism from Congo without anybody’s support, we shall also defeat the residual urban crime and terrorism whatever the source.

Fifthly, is to bring discipline and balance in the media (TVs, radios, newspapers and social-media). These, most of the time, report in a tendecious and mendacious manner. The Government and the NRM have been asleep when it comes to media management. This is, partly, the old practice of the NRA. We never propagandized but fought and the victories spoke for themselves. Even when we captured Kampala, very few people outside Uganda believed we had that capacity. Even today, it is still largely true that doing does more publicity than just talking. The massive wins by the NRM in the recent LC1 and Women Council elections in spite of the massive lying by the biased press and media, confirms this. Even the win of President Trump in the USA in 2016 in spite of the papers there and the CNNs de-campaigning him, picking faults etc., points to the fact that media lying cannot, in some cases, obscure reality. To shout on social-media, NBS TV, NTV, Okot Ogong’s radio in Lira or even CNN that the NRM is useless to the citizens of Atanga, Acholibur etc. or the ones of Atiak, Pabbo and Bibia or the ones of Katakwi and Moroto when they are seeing brand new tarmac roads in their area, will discredit the media rather than the Government. That is why the people ignored the media and voted massively for the NRM in the LC1s, Women Council elections and in all the by-elections and elections since 2016 except for Kyadondo, Jinja East, Rukungiri and Bugiri Municipality. These are just four out of a total of 35 Parliamentary seats and LCV elections or the by-elections since the General elections.

It is actually the killings of the Sheikhs, Kagezi, Kaweesi, Abiriga and Magara that made many Ugandans worried about security. The same was true of the beatings of the NRM women and intimidation with impunity by the Opposition that gets people in the towns worried. Firm legal action, counter-mobilization and development efforts quickly stamp out this lawlessness. That was how walk to work in 2011 and “making Uganda ungovernable in 2016” were defeated.

Nevertheless, since Uganda today, given what we have already put on the ground as the foundation, being a very rich country in the first place, is on a rapid growth and transformation trajectory, we should not allow the diversion of any of our people by the tendecious and mendacious media – local or foreign. Organizationally and technically, we are going to deploy means to handle this sabotage. The fight between an Opposition MP and the Police may be interesting and should be reported. How, then, about the 600 megawatts Karuma hydro-power station for a country which had only 60 megawatts in 1986? Why don’t you report that also so that we know that you are a media person who is professional and informative? If you do not and instead you do only report the fight between the MP and Police, but you turn it into a campaign (kuyimbilila) hour after hour, day after day, don’t you lose your credibility as a source of information for the public and the world? Isn’t society, who desire and are entitled to develop their businesses, their areas, their country, justified in looking for ways of how to resist your unfairness? Young people have even been telling me that what matters is not facts but that it is perception. In otherwords, what matters is not what happens but what people perceive to have happened? Is it good for the world to only appreciate appearance rather than facts? Are you not deluding yourself when you believe like that?

I have been watching the contest between these two ideas: “do not do but appear to do” versus “Do and actions will speak for themselves” for the last 55 years. In 1963, China had a GDP of US$. 50.7billion while the UK had a GDP of US$. 85.4billion France 85.6billion Germany US$44.5billion and the USA a GDP of US$ 637.5billion. It was number five in the hierarchy of development. Very few African countries had diplomatic relations with China because they were listening to the dictates of the Western countries because they were anti-China for ideology and political reasons. The Western media, believing in the principle of appearing and not doing, continually demonized the Chinese and the communists in general, never mind that the communist Soviet Union had just saved Europe from the demonic Hitler. Here, in Africa, only the far-sighted leaders like our elder Mwalimu Nyerere and some of us the students, saw the correctness of establishing close relationship with the Chinese because they had also been victims of colonialism and aggression. We were not communists, but we rejected the subjectivism of saying that those who do not do what I do are automatically wrong. Today, China is the second richest country in the world and it will overtake the USA by the year 2025 in GDP size. What, then, do the proponents of “appearing rather than doing” say? In the last Beijing Summit, 39 Heads of State and heads of Government from Africa were there in person. Then there were a number of Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers. Doing has overcome appearing in this case.

The NRM is strengthening Uganda actually as I have shown above in reality. Nevertheless, there is no harm in having a responsible and truthful press, at least, within Uganda. We can, then, see how to deal with the racist foreign media which believes that Africans are incapable of doing anything right unless they are puppets of Western interests. The West has had a lot of puppets in Africa since 1960 – Mobutu, Banda, Idi Amin, Habyarimana, Kayibanda etc. – who destroyed those African countries. Patriots, some of whom may have their own mistakes, where they are in charge, have reversed the decline of Africa. Uganda is certainly on the ascent.

Sixth and, finally, the NRM must stand firmly and unequivocally with the Bibanja holders in Buganda, Ankole, Tooro and Bunyoro where that evil system had been introduced by the British. The British in 1928 had seen the evil of that system of theirs and introduced a Decree to ameliorate the suffering of the Bibanjapeople in the form of the Busuuluand Nvujjoso called Law (in effect a Decree because there was no Parliament) of 1928. This provided that while the collaborator landlords retained the ownership (obwananyini), the bibanja owners could not be evicted except with the permission of the Governor and would only pay nominal rent, not commercial rent, of only Shs.8 per annum. The Bibanja owners had some relief and the Law stayed like that until 1975 when Amin brought in his Decree which, actually, abolished the Mailo-land but, of course, without discussion because that was Amin’s way. The NRM would have whole-heartedly supported Amin’s Decree except for one point. When, in 1928, the British had reigned in their collaborator chiefs by stopping them from excessively looting the Bibanja owners, many landlords had sold off their ownership to new people. It was, of course, wrong for anybody to buy land occupied by people unless you were ready to equitably negotiate with them and compensate them fairly on a willing buyer, willing seller basis so that you use the land for production, not for the feudal relationship of owning people instead of owning cattle, goats or coffee. Nevertheless, since the NRM never wants to be unfair to anybody – Bibanja owner or landlord, in the 1995 Constitution we, more or less, went back to the British position of 1928: ownership for the landlord retained; no eviction for the bibanja owners except for the refusal to pay the nominal rent; and only nominal rent to be paid and never commercial rent. We also established the Land Fund which could be expanded later to enable the bibanja owners to pay off the landlords so that the latter also do commercial agriculture in part of the land that is free or go to industry, services or ICT, the other sectors of the economy.

This was a deliberate, win-win compromise so as to keep our people united. After all, both the landlords and the Bibanja owners were members of the NRM. In Kufu, Namwandu Mulyanti, a landlord, was our supporter. The other residents – Muburizi Wamala, Kakwaya, Sinabulya etc., etc. were bibanja owners and were the main support of the NRM. It was our duty to harmonize the interests of our people. Unfortunately, some myopic and greedy people think that they are too clever and what the NRM thinks does not matter. Working with the corrupt Magistrates and the security personnel, they have been massively and illegally evicting the bibanja owner families, many of them the historical supporters of the NRM and, in the main, being responsible for the return of democracy to Uganda and the return of the traditional institutions like the Kabakaship through their support for the NRM. Therefore, the bibanja owners be assured that the NRM and myself, as your leader in the resistance, will not abandon you. If some of the landlords do not want a win-win solution, which is the NRM way, we shall stand with you. I thank Justice Bamugemereire for moving in some of the areas and exposing the criminality of the landlords.

Therefore, Ugandans, this lengthy speech is to assure you that Uganda is on the ascent; nobody will bring it down, no matter how hard they try. We have very powerful internal forces that will combine to defeat the primitive fascists backed by external parasitic elements. We are in the process of tightening the weak points. Be calm and supportive. The rest we shall handle.

As far as the external relations are concerned, we always work with the African countries, the Asian countries, the Latin American countries in the South-south Co-operation. This is what we did in the anti-colonial struggle, this is what we are doing now. We work with the Soviet Union (Russia) because it stood with us in the anti-colonial struggle ever since 1917 when the communists took power in that country. We work with the countries of the British Commonwealth and with the European Union under the ACP-EU Lome arrangements. We work with the USA under the AGOA arrangement which, helped by our sister Rosa Whitaker, I negotiated with President Bill Clinton. With the European Countries, we share the religion of Christianity and basic principles of democracy. With the USA, 12% of the population of that country are Africans.

In all these arrangements, it is important that external players refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. Interfering in the internal affairs of other countries is morally and practically wrong. Morally wrong because the question is: “What superior intelligence do you have to think that you can understand the problem in my house better that we the occupants? If there is a problem in our house, we the occupants will solve it. Keep out. It is also practically wrong because outsiders cannot have enough information about a foreign situation. They are most likely to make mistakes. The examples are numerous: Vietnam, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya.

When foreigners were chased from Vietnam, it is now one of the fastest growing economies in the World. What was the justification for foreigners making so much chaos about something they did not understand? Besides, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Why does a section of the USA spend so much time trying to prove that President Trump’s election was, somehow, through the hacking of some computers, aided by external forces and see no problem in openly encouraging indisciplined elements from friendly countries? If there is any problem in Uganda, I, surely, will handle it better than the outsider. I think the accusation against President Trump is that the Russians hacked the computers of somebody to get bad information about Hillary Clinton, the candidate that was competing with him. It is so serious that some of them talk of impeaching President Trump if it turned out to be true: yet, it would be merely giving information by the Russians to the detriment of the candidate they did not prefer. Assistance with information. In Africa, on the other hand, NGOs funded by foreign Governments, actually give money to opposition players, give advice, lie on their behalf etc. These foreigners may think that Africans are weak and foolish. Indeed, that is what Henry Kissinger is reported to have said once in 1973 in the Arab-Israel war.

However, God, sometimes, stands with the weak. Africa may one day surprise those who abuse her. In this case, we, the sleeping Ugandans, seeking to operationalize Article (1) of our Constitution which says that all power belongs to the people of Uganda, may have to enact the Sovereignty Act where citizens who helped foreigners to interfere in our politics would attract appropriate legal sanctions. I thank the Americans for reminding us by harassing Mr. Trump on this alledged connections with the Russians.

The issue of torture which has been bandied around so much in recent times, like all the issues of security in Uganda, is something that will not take me 10 minutes to understand. I have either been watching or observing these issues for the last 56 years. Indeed, on the 20^thJune, 2018, I wrote a circular letter to all the security personnel when this issue was raised in the media. Which genius in the World can understand this issue more than some of us that have been handling all this for so long? Here is a copy of that letter.

There has been so much talk about the torture by the security forces of people like Hons: Bobi Wine and Zaake. This talk is in the media and in other non-Court fora. Yet, these are matters in the Courts of Law. The questions in the minds of those who love fairness are the following: “What if those allegations turn out to be false? How will the accusers, local and foreign, rectify the injustice they have done to the Security forces? If any one of them implied or said that where I commented on the Arua events since I was on the scene, I was telling lies, will I be entitled to damages? That will be good for my Party, the NRM. Some of the NGO money via the Opposition may, in the end, help to fund the NRM. Final question in this connection: “Do the Security Forces personnel have rights according to these “human rights” activists or are they to be assaulted, beaten, stoned or maligned with impunity?.”

Uganda is not a failed state. It has powerful institutions: the armed forces, the LC structures, the Leagues, the District Parliaments (Councils – 123 of them), the National Parliament, the Ministries etc., etc. These have handled the issues of Uganda from a very low base to where it is now. If there are people of good will, the World is not short of vacuum areas, where there is no state authority. They could, surely, help there if they have some redundant capacity. There is Afghanistan, Somalia, Eastern Congo, Iraq, Yemen etc.

Ugandans you liberated yourselves from tyranny and death. See the mass graves in the Luwero Triangle. We are the only ones that can guarantee our future. The way it was in the past, so it is today and so it shall in the future. We are the ones to guarantee our future working with friends that respect our sovereignty and our intelligence.

Coming to the Political Parties, apart from the legal and court solutions, there is the standing arrangement of political dialogue through Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD). I am going to ask the NRM delegates to that forum to raise the issue of political violence, the issue of alleged torture, the issue of inter-party support for taking advantage of the youth dividend by expanding their empowerment that has already started. Cabinet decided that the State House Comptroller, Madam Lucy Nakyobe, should head this effort because she has already started and what she has done has been successful.

I thank everybody.

Long live the NRM,

Long live Uganda,

Long live Africa.

Yoweri K. Museveni

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

The post State of the Nation address by His Excellence Yoweri Museveni first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Soumaila Cisse set to reject Presidential election results as counting continue in Mali

Brian Kisembo — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 15:05:45 +0000

Soumaila Cisse who is Mali’s top opposition leader has made it clear that he would reject the election results which he described involved accusations of fraud, violence and low turnout.

Ballot counting was conducted yesterday across the vast West African country where one poll worker was reportedly killed and hundreds of stations closed due to insecurity.

Cisse said at his party’s headquarters in Bamako that they will not sit and listen rather urged the masses to rise against dictatorship and fraud.

“The fraud is proven, this is why there are results we will not accept,” Cisse said at his party’s headquarters in Bamako.

“I call on all Malians to rise up… We will not accept the dictatorship of fraud,” he added.

But Cisse’s team and other opposition contenders have repeatedly accused the government of fraud, including ballot-box stuffing and vote buying.

However the African Union (AU) election observers said the voting was carried out “in acceptable conditions,” in a preliminary report published Monday.

At this stage there is “no tangible element” pointing towards voting irregulariities, the observers said, congratulating the Mali government for its efforts to improve the voting process and noting a drop in the number of untoward incidents in the second round of voting.

The European Union also said that in the 300 polling stations its observers visited, no “major incident” occurred.

Nearly 500 polling stations were unable to open on Sunday, the government said, mostly in regions plagued by jihadist violence and ethnic tensions.

“We had a little over 3.7 percent of stations which had not functioned properly” during the first round on July 29, Salif Traore, Mali’s security minister, said on Monday.

The figure fell to 2.1 percent of the 23,000 polling booths in Sunday’s runoff vote, which Traore said was due to the deployment of more military.

The overseer of a polling station in Arkodia, in the northern region of Timbuktu, was shot dead on Sunday by armed Islamist militants, local officials said.

Aside from this “dramatic case,” the government said the poll occurred without incident.

Turnout however was just 22.38 percent, local monitors of the POCIM (the Mali Citizen Observation Pool) said.

Six members of the opposition campaign team, including four French, were arrested on Sunday, the team and Traore, the minister of security, said.

Five of the six were released without charges after being held for two hours in a Bamako police station, a source close to the team said. Their phones and laptops were seized.

Also Read: Bobi Wine has inherited Besigye’s hooliganism – Mirundi

The post Soumaila Cisse set to reject Presidential election results as counting continue in Mali first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.