Clarification of President Museveni's riches very important before 2011 elections

A President of a country is a very powerful person as in the case of Uganda he is seen as the provider. Many who want favours try to reach him, others compromise themselves and sing all sorts of praises for him such that they can be rewarded. It becomes therefore absolutely hard for a person in such a situation not to slice a bit of these benefits for own gains. It is said that there is no smoke without fire. before we go to the 2011 General Elections, it is absolutely important for the President of Uganda to clear the air about the allegation, "that he is the 12th richest person in Africa."
William Kituuka


Clarify riches, FDC tells Museveni Monday, 20th October, 2008
By Moses Mulondo
THE Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has asked President Yoweri Museveni to clarify reports that he is the 12th richest person in Africa.
Quoting information obtained from www.weloveafricans.com website, the FDC officials asked the President to reveal how he acquired his wealth.
The website indicates that Museveni’s wealth amounts to $1.7b, followed by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.
It shows Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo as the richest with $65b, followed by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi at $56b.
“We believe the information given by the website is an understatement of the wealth possessed by Museveni. But it is shocking to hear that the President has all that wealth when many of his subjects in the east and north are dying of hunger and curable diseases,” Reagan Okumu, the FDC secretary for foreign affairs, told journalists at the party’s weekly briefing in Kampala yesterday.
“The President’s salary is less than sh7m. How has he accumulated all that wealth that he has?”
But President Museveni’s press secretary, Tamale Mirundi, dismissed the figures provided by the website.
“There are many websites with a lot of information. It depends on who is controlling the website. Not every information you get on a website is factual. We do not take FDC seriously. They have nothing to do, so they jump on everything.”
Asked on whether President Museveni is not on the list of the richest Africans, Tamale replied: “I don’t know. I am not his accountant.”
While declaring his wealth in 2002, Museveni is reported to have said his annual income then was sh48.2m.
His property included his land at Katonga Ssembabule district valued at sh240m, land at Katwe Kambwa in Maddu, Mpigi district valued at sh59m, residential houses at Rwakitira valued at sh600m, and land at Nyabushozi valued at sh70m. The President is also quoted to have said he did not have property outside Uganda.
Okumu asked the Inspectorate of Government to reveal the President’s wealth and that of his close family members.
He said the FDC had embarked on an investigation to establish the riches owned by the President and his close family members and that they would reveal their findings at an appropriate time.
FDC deputy spokesperson Boniface Toterebuka said fear of accountability is “the greatest reason why President Museveni sticks to power.”