Uganda's problem surely as of now will remain President Museveni. If people were brave enough they would by this time tell President Museveni that the country has problems simply because he is its problem number one. While Ministers stand to be censured, the President will replace them and maintain them on some payroll of advisers, etc. Assume anybody was in Bbumba's shoes, what would he/she have done with instructions from above? Until the brain people and possibly those who fought sort out the Museveni power issue and in some cases misuse of power, Uganda is in a big problem. We must come out and tell President Museveni to stop his excesses or else pack up. We are being shy, fearful about the obvious. Short of that, all those executing instructions from the President Must consult a number of offices where they will get clearance before executing.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
MPs FIGHT OVER MAKUBUYA CENSURE PROCESS
By YASIIN MUGERWA
Posted Tuesday, January 3 2012 at 00:00
A rift has emerged over the impending process to censure ministers Khiddu Makubuya and Syda Bbumba for their role in the controversial compensation of businessmen over loss of businesses.
Whereas a group of MPs led by Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East) and Peter Ogwang (Youth Eastern) has kick-started the process of censure by seeking signatures from members, the Public Accounts Committee, which is investigating the ministers’ role says the censure process is being rushed.
MPs are probing Mr Makubuya, the former Attorney General but now a minister in the Prime Minister’s office and Ms Bbumba, the current gender affairs minister who previously held the Finance docket, for their role in approving payment of more than Shs142b to Mr Hassan Basajjabalaba as compensation for loss of business.
The pro-censure group told journalists that they had collected 80 signatures to begin the process although verification by Daily Monitor showed that only 30 MPs had appended signatures to the sheets. The law requires at least 125 signatures to censure a minister.
But PAC chairman Kassiano Wadri (Terego) has accused the pro-censure team of trying to pre-empt his committee’s report. “I appreciate their fight against corruption but let them wait for one month. PAC is going to table its report next month, why can’t they be patient?” he asked. “They are collecting signatures based on press reports yet PAC has all the evidence and facts on these ministers. Those people should not make our recommendations impotent.”
Ethics minister calls for conscience
Amid the exchange, Ethics minister Simon Lokodo asked his colleagues to “listen to their conscience and step aside.” “Kabakumba (Masiko) listened to her conscience and resigned.
Bbumba and Makubuya should check themselves and step aside. In any case truth will come out when the probe is complete. This is what I always tell people to do,” he said.
Several city markets and the Constitutional Square were leased to Mr Basajjabalaba by then KCC but President Museveni later ordered the cancellation of the deals. The businessman then tried sought legal redress leading to the President’s directive that he be compensated.
Parliament later opened an investigation into his payments. Most of the witnesses told PAC that the President knew about the payments. But when PAC met the President recently, he said some letters were drafted for him to sign.
ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: THE SOONER MUSEVENI REALIZES ...
Power corrupts, otherwise there is no better way to justify Museveni's stay up to 26 years now. He came promising 4 years, that could not do, the Constitution making exercise came in and from then, he learnt how to play tricks to remain in power which went an extra mile to see the Constitution have term limits removed. It is not being rude to a Head of State, but this time round, Mr. Museveni should realize that enough is enough, out there, we have people who given chance can help the country grow and also ensure that the rule of law prevails while safeguarding the treasury. He is so compromised as of now and pretty tired, the best service he can do this country is quit without causing more trouble.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
President delivers a speech at a military function.
By Wafula Oguttu
I won’t be in power for ever, says President Museveni
Posted Sunday, January 1 2012 at 00:00
In Summary
Taking you back in time. About two decades ago, on November 2, 1993, President Museveni, who had spent eight years in power, offered a rare interview to this newspaper. The interviewer, then Editor-in-Chief, Wafula Oguttu, sat down with the President in his office at State House, Entebbe, and for three hours, Museveni dressed in a grey track suit, spoke on a variety of subjects. We reproduce a shorter version of what was an 8,000-word interview revealing some stark contrasts between what the President believed then and Museveni now…
Mr President, eight years ago you took power to do a job guided by the NRM’s Ten-Point-programme, How much ground have you covered so far and what still remains to be done?
Eight years ago the biggest problem was disharmony in the society. Conflicts, either physical or emotional, or mental; people were not together. This disharmony was caused by the old politics, the old opportunistic politics which started exploiting religions especially and, to some extent, tribes. We think that we have healed (this disharmony). The [people] who are out of the national alliance are out on their own free will.
Who are these people who are out?
A few elements like Obote and some of his followers, but even these are very few as you know, because all the others have come back and are participating in politics. So I think that is achievement No. 1.
People in parties like UPC have always maintained that they are not part of your arrangement.
They are not serious.
(UPC) say that when you say that NRM has formed an alliance, they would have wanted to participate as a group like you did.
I don’t agree with that approach. It is not useful to have factions either under one roof or under two roofs because they will all lead to unprincipled struggles. However, the alliance I am talking about is that your background does not prejudice your chances of participation in this process. The old polarisation was not on good grounds. If it was on good grounds I would not mind.
If it was a conflict on principle, between right and wrong like the conflicts between us and Amin.
Were you against Amin the individual or Amin the system; because you have been working with people who worked with Idi Amin?
Not Amin as a person. What he represented. Amin represented a wrong position. He used the army to take over power. The army is a small group of people; what right do they have to govern the rest of society without the society’s consent?
But you also took government using the military.
Yes. As a temporary measure to restore democracy; that is why we call this government a transitional government, an interim government. We never said we have a right: to stay in power indefinitely. But we had to put out the fire and we could not put it out by peaceful means. This is where our legitimacy comes in. We are transient. We are not permanent.
You have given yourself a lot of time for a transitional government. Because even unelected (rulers) like Idi Amin were here for about eight years. Now you have also been in power for about eight years?
Well, first of all our transitional government has not been without participation. Very early on, we opened up for people to participate in (the political process in the) form of the RCs. Later on they went up to the national (parliament) level, the National Resistance Council (NRC).
In any case even if we had not opened up, it was clear that our programme was a transitional one. But ours was not only transitional, but also participatory. You cannot say that Amin did any of that!
So, apart from uniting Ugandans...
That was one. The second achievement was the economy.
But the peasants, if you look at them, have become poorer.
I don’t believe that the peasants have become poorer. They have not become richer in a number of cases, but I don’t think they have become poorer.
Because they are not even able to send their children to school. More and more kids are not going to school?
Were they able to do it in the past?
But wherever you have gone Mr President, people have told you they have “obwavu” (poverty) in their home.
Yes they have “obwavu” but your argument and other people’s false position is this “bwavu” is a new phenomenon. That there was opulence in the past; that poverty has come now. My argument is that there has always been poverty.
There is still poverty now. Poverty in the past was in an economy that had no hope of even overcoming that poverty.
Poverty now is in a stable, macro-economic framework where there is hope that (we shall come) out of poverty.
I am…
May I... [Gestures to be left to finish his point] Let me first finish my point. The second point on economic recovery is that we have made achievements in infrastructure. We have repaired 1,500 km of roads. This is physical; you cannot (dispute that). Power generation: We have so far increased power generation by 60 megawatts since 1986 and soon we shall have it increased by another 30 megawatts which will make our contribution to the power output in Uganda in the last seven years to 90 megawatts.
We are also planning to build another 200 megawatts dam. Then the stability of the currency, getting rid of the hunger for foreign currency. Now the tendency is not to reject the Uganda currency but actually to look for it. This is a (major achievement) because in the past whoever had the Uganda currency wanted to get rid of it in order to get dollars.
They were willing to pay any amount of the Uganda shilling to get one dollar. What was the logic behind all this? So that they take the dollar out and invest it abroad. Now the attitude is the opposite; people are dying to get the Uganda shilling in order to invest it here. That is why you journalists need to be a bit more serious in your analysis, not superficial.
It has been argued elsewhere that the middle class has benefited more from this arrangement than the ordinary people, the peasants, and you can see how they (the middle class) are building.
Before you start to argue about who has benefited and who has not, you need to have stability. You cannot argue about who has eaten more than the other without having order in the dining room. The cooks must cook; there must be a dining table, there must be a place so that we can start arguing now who has eaten more and who has eaten less (laughter). But there was disorder and there was no possibility of cooking. There was no way you could generate wealth. So eating, eating what? There was nothing to eat.
You say you have stabilised the economy, but last year’s budget some taxes were imposed, then you had to retract them. The same thing is going to happen this year. Do we lack proper economic planners?
Well, there is some confusion among some of the planners. That is what happens even in other countries. There are arguments, differences in opinion, but all in order.
So are you confident this order will continue?
Of course it will continue. Now with this order, I have told these planners that they should have only three priorities.
Infrastructure; including social amenities like education and roads, law and order, police and judiciary; so that there is no crime; people are secure, and then defence; it is also security but of a different kind. Within these three the people would do the rest.
Mr President, you seem to be stressing more on foreign investors. Local investors are frustrated that you personally come in to help the foreign investors and not them also.
But if they don’t complain how do I know? Because I have helped many local investors when I have known, but that I should not be the one doing it, it should be done automatically. That is my battle; to ensure that these people stop delaying anybody. How will this stability help the common man? Because there is also another confusing argument of saying; “Oh Mr. Museveni you have brought order in the dining room, but this one has eaten more than this one. Okay we shall see how we distribute the food”.
Now what is the solution to the poverty of the homesteads? Because if the Ugandans are 17 million, and there are five people in each family, you can assume that there are four million families. Now the problem is that many of these families don’t do anything for cash, mainly because of lack of knowing what to do. They grow their potatoes, their bananas, eat them that is all. And this is because of poor local leadership. The leaders don’t advise them and because of lack of education, they don’t know what to do for themselves so they just sit.
There was a time when government, including you, told them; “grow more cotton; maize, there is market”. Then they grew a lot of it, and the things were not bought; so, that is what discourages them; because what they produce is not bought
All this is ignorance and poor leadership. For instance, I grew maize myself when the price was good. I harvested 200 bags of maize. When the price of maize went down, I stopped growing maize and went to something else. But there is a problem of lack of education. You have to be mobile in the economy. Because of lack of education they are immobile.
Maybe it is because government has not tried to link our agriculture with our industry.
If the government tried to do it, it would not manage. The problems are two; lack of an entrepreneurial mind, in these homesteads; the second is leadership which does not concentrate on incomes of the people; they just concentrate on politics.
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This year it seems there is a problem because even the economy of the middle class, which was doing better. People tied a lot of money in bungalows, especially in Mbarara and Kampala, which are not creating any money. There was a craze for building “dollar houses”, now that has also collapsed.
But that is not a problem. This is good. That shows you that our policy is right. Our government did not control rent although people were crying for that in 1986. This attracted a lot of investment in housing. And now we have solved our housing problem for the middle income people. Now that middle income housing [is saturated], investment will go into the low income area; that is how you use the market; system to solve problems.
Of course, some of them will experience hardships because they sunk money in houses and now the houses are not rentable. Although I think even this is a, temporary problem. This is a, temporary imbalance. I think it will correct itself. But on the other hand, these Ugandans need to develop sharper business acumen; to predict the market.
Government should be leading the way at least in guiding them so that there is some way of knowing which area is better to invest in.
But how do you advise? I want government to be out of this business. Because who are you to guide them?
Because government has the money to do research and feasibility studies. This is what has been done in the Far East from. Today there is too much unemployment in town, and government has been laying off people.
I am not very sure about what was happening in the Far East but even in those economies one has got to be careful, because many people don’t know the factors that led to that growth. The presence of American bases is never talked about. All those were American bases. Japan, South Korean, Thailand, Malaya (a British base) the only one which has done well on its own is Indonesia but it has also got a big debt of $70b. Let us not be too excited. For me I prefer to move according to what I think is right.
The other element we have done for the economy has been liberalisation, because it puts the economy in the hands of the population rather than the hands of bureaucrats. And I think this is a good long term measure. These other problems, as long as there is freedom for producers and as long as there is a stable financial situation, as long as infrastructure is expanding, we shall solve these problems.
Your, opponents from the east and north (of Uganda) have been accusing you of not balancing development, that you have concentrated on the West and South.
How, can they give examples?
Well that most of the important projects [your government] has put up in the south and the west and not their areas.
What projects? We have tarmacked the road all the way to Soroti. We had to fight in order to tarmac that road, we were being shot at. Who tarmacked that road? Do you travel on it? We repaired the road (although we did not tarmac it) all the way to Karamoja. We have built the road to Kamuli from Jinja, All the roads in Iganga which are not tarmacked have been worked on. Iganga is one of the districts which got their road equipment early, the north, each district has got its own road equipment Gulu, Kitgum and Lira. Mbarara does not yet have its own road equipment, Masaka does not have. All those northern districts have their road equipment. The problem was money to put in fuel. Because of the insurgency, the revenue base of those districts shrunk and we were trying to support them with grants.
They also say that you have given the most important jobs in government to people from the west and not “their children?”
Now let me first finish what NRM has done, you are now diverting me. One; harmony, two; economic stabilisation and recovery. There is still some poverty, especially among the peas-antry in some of the areas. The cure for that is for them to use the infrastructure we have given them to produce and sell. The third advantage was to cleanse the image of Uganda internationally. Uganda now almost is a model in Africa. The other one is ideological.
So what remains to be done, [why do] you want to remain in power?
To consolidate and eliminate poverty, to do what has not yet been done; banish poverty in the rural areas and to expand infrastructure because now I want to cover the whole country with feeder roads. So these are very big issues. When I see these people running around, I pity Africa. When we came electricity generation which the British had left had shrunk to about 80 megawatts. In the next two years we shall perhaps have put it back to about 400 megawatts. But people don’t think about all this. Health; we have already done this in form of immunisation. If it was not for HIV/Aids, we could already have had a very big impact on the rural population.
Some of your opponents have argued that your NRM is not a Movement; that it is your Museveni as benevolent dictator and people from your tribe.
Let us first of all talk about the tribe. Who are the people from my tribe who are dominating the government, from what they tell you?
Some people say westerners?
Who are these westerners in proportion to the others?
I remember a deputy minister from the north once told me that the most important ministries are either given to people from the west or Buganda and these ministries have big money. But that those from the north get small ministries.
Like…Like what?
Like Industry, like Defence, like Education, Finance, like Minerals [these are the ones westerners get).
But even when you head a ministry you may not be the one who gives yourself money. Money is given to you by the Cabinet centrally. Even by Parliament.
They say that those large ministries which automatically get huge sums of money are not entrusted to people from those areas.
From which areas now?
From the north and east
Oh, but Omara Atubo was my Minister of State for Defence, have they forgotten that? If he misbehaved what could I do? I am the one who appointed him. I didn’t know where he was. He was certainly not anywhere. He was not active. But I used to know him when we were in the NCC (National Consultative Council), and I appointed him Minister of State for Defence. [Maj. Gen Fred] Okecho was Permanent Secretary for Defence. Are these from the west or from Buganda? Ogwal has been the Permanent Secretary of Education until recently. I don’t even know who the PS is now. Muzira has been the Permanent Secretary in Health, if they are talking about these big ministries.
It is also said that the ministers who are seen as bad people by the public are the ones who are around you and the ones you give most responsibility.
I am not convinced about the accusations about them because for me I see what they do, they do a good job. And I am not satisfied with malice. You see the problem is that some of these people are just envious. When they see that someone has become prominent, they want to shoot him or her down because they have got their own ideas that if we remain leaderless long enough, then their own chances of coming up will improve. They don’t want a leadership to emerge.
Yeah, I want to talk about corruption. You have been very harsh to corrupt people in the NRA but you are very soft on politicians who are corrupt. Why is this so?
Because we don’t have proof. You see in the army it is easier because there are more cadres there who know what they are doing than in the civilian section. Here you don’t get any facts. Just rumours. Also I think because the system had completely broken down. The CID doesn’t work. The Auditor General doesn’t do his work properly. We created the department of IGG, who unfortunately recruited young boys from Makerere who are well intentioned but they don’t know what to do; how to conclusively investigate a case so that you are sure when you take action.
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At times you have tried to justify corruption by saying [that the type of) corruption now it “better” because people spend money here and build houses.
I no, no, that is just joking.
But people have taken it that actually you are not serious about corruption?
Yes, I am very serious, but even then [they used to] recycle money in a bad way. Because of the general security today, even when someone steals money there is no panic to run away. But that is not to say that there is no better way of recycling that if it could be kept in government, paid as salaries, they could build houses. But the real reason [for failing to deal with corruption] is the poor investigation so that you are sure.
And the poor pay to these investigations?
If he is used to getting Shs10 million on each case of corruption, how much are you going to pay him to wean him from stealing? We have paid the people of Uganda Revenue Authority. But they are still corrupt from what I hear. Yeah. So I think the solution will have to be to scrap some of these things and bring in foreign agencies.
Foreigners?
Yes! People who come from more stable environment.
Yeah, but you pay them a lot of money. If foreigners come you pay them Shs5 million; if you paid that to me I would also work without being corrupt.
I am not sure if you are used to Shs10 million (laughs). Either that, because I hear that is what has been done in Malaysia, they brought in foreign people or do what I have started doing in the Revenue Authority by putting in people whom you trust politically and who, there are because of political conviction, fight corruption because they know its implications on the economy.
Are you satisfied with your performance on that front? Some of them think that you are also corrupt?
They could be but (you still have better chances of fighting corruption) if you put there someone with motivation. Of course there is no guarantee but if you mix them with others there could be a chance. Because of motivation, is committed to government and he wants you to succeed. Of course this is not the best because it is better to have professional people who will be politically neutral and serve all governments. If it doesn’t [work] then I will have to go for the foreigners (laughs).
That would be most unfortunate Mr President?
But really what can I do? They are thoroughly unethical and unpatriotic [Ugandans].
You are a leader and you should lead from the front. I agree, but must you remain oblivious to what the public says? I cannot remove anybody unless I am convinced that he is not fit. What they are talking about is rubbish. It is not true. It has nothing to do with the job to be done and I know that doing jobs is not easy.
Mr President, even if you leave the ministers and go to the parastatals and the Authorities and Corporations and you take a look at the top, it is quite obvious.
Fortunately I am the one who initiated the policy of filling parastatals by competition. It was never there before. They go for interviews and they get selected on merit. Still it is not perfect because the minister receives three names and decides on one.
Are you confident that you will retain power next year if we have elections?
I don’t care whether I retain power or not
But are you confident that you will retain power?
I am not bothered one way or the other. The fact is that the people get a chance. Why should I say “I am sure.” It is up to the people. If they want me to help them. I will offer myself because I want to finish these big programmes of stabilising and restructuring the economy. And building the image of Uganda. But if the people of Uganda don’t vote me, I will be relieved, [laughter] I will be liberated.
Why don’t you let the parties back and let the people reject them and why don’t you send an olive branch to the former leaders?
The people will get the chance to reject the parties in the referendum or through the CA. But if you say that I should support, politically, a situation where NRM is a party, and there is DP, UPC—then even if NRM wins, it will no longer be a Movement of all the people. It will be a party itself.
I am not interested in a section. I want all the people of Uganda together. NRM can win elections sure. If it became a party. But this will mean a failure for my strategy.
Under the NRM system, how does somebody replace you as leader?
Oh? We stand as leaders, three or five people. Because you are associated with the system as yours it might be difficult to dislodge you. No just stand as national leaders, and whoever is voted for becomes the head of a united house. This is very simple, what is the problem? But whoever is elected becomes head of the whole united Uganda.
Talk of a united house, why are you people in Ankole treating Prince John Barigye differently in respect to this question of the return of kingdoms?
No again. There are no double standards. It is one standard. The amendment which we made in the Constitution says that those areas which had kings can have them if they so wish. Those firm words are there. So whoever wants to be restored as a cultural leader must show that the people wish that he becomes otherwise it becomes a problem. We are not going to allow somebody to impose himself on the people or we to impose him on them.
Barigye people believe they have support, but that you Museveni is against them, the Bahinda clan [the Hima clan that provide Nkole kings] and that they helped you to fight your war, and you didn’t give them jobs. You have never appointed any Muhinda as Minister except Nasasira who has a small job.
Very good, for me I am not working for Bahinda I am working for the people of Uganda. If the Bahinda are part of Uganda I will work with them. If they distance themselves then that is their problem. Well, Obugabe can be hereditary, but Army Commandership is not (laughs); unfortunately. The presidency is temporary, for us ordinary people everything is temporary. It is only the traditional rulers who are permanent. So really that is the issue of Barigye. We cannot be unfair with the people, in order to please Barigye or his clan.
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When were you born, the date and month?
I don’t know the date when I was born. I don’t know the month. But I know the year was 1944.
There have been accusations that you are not a Ugandan; that you are a Rwandan. It is Obote who started this.
Oh! But that is very easy to prove. Go to Ntungamo and ask. You go to Rukungiri, because those are the people who know my people. You go and ask any of the elders there. We don’t have to waste time on that.
I am not a Munyarwanda. But even if I was a Munyarwanda; What would the original Ugandans have done better than me, the immigrant? You see this is the type of bankrupt politics we have.
Mr President how many children do you have? Because Ugandans don’t know how many children you have or even their names?
That is not the business of Ugandans. What do they want with my family? What do they want with my children? Suppose I had a child with somebody’s wife. Am I going to announce this? (Laughs).
One time you wrote to Uganda Confidential and said that you don’t really have personal friends as such in your job.
That statement scared very many people. That they have a leader who does not have friends.
I don’t have them. Nobody comes to see me here in personal capacity; except my relatives.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
President delivers a speech at a military function.
By Wafula Oguttu
I won’t be in power for ever, says President Museveni
Posted Sunday, January 1 2012 at 00:00
In Summary
Taking you back in time. About two decades ago, on November 2, 1993, President Museveni, who had spent eight years in power, offered a rare interview to this newspaper. The interviewer, then Editor-in-Chief, Wafula Oguttu, sat down with the President in his office at State House, Entebbe, and for three hours, Museveni dressed in a grey track suit, spoke on a variety of subjects. We reproduce a shorter version of what was an 8,000-word interview revealing some stark contrasts between what the President believed then and Museveni now…
Mr President, eight years ago you took power to do a job guided by the NRM’s Ten-Point-programme, How much ground have you covered so far and what still remains to be done?
Eight years ago the biggest problem was disharmony in the society. Conflicts, either physical or emotional, or mental; people were not together. This disharmony was caused by the old politics, the old opportunistic politics which started exploiting religions especially and, to some extent, tribes. We think that we have healed (this disharmony). The [people] who are out of the national alliance are out on their own free will.
Who are these people who are out?
A few elements like Obote and some of his followers, but even these are very few as you know, because all the others have come back and are participating in politics. So I think that is achievement No. 1.
People in parties like UPC have always maintained that they are not part of your arrangement.
They are not serious.
(UPC) say that when you say that NRM has formed an alliance, they would have wanted to participate as a group like you did.
I don’t agree with that approach. It is not useful to have factions either under one roof or under two roofs because they will all lead to unprincipled struggles. However, the alliance I am talking about is that your background does not prejudice your chances of participation in this process. The old polarisation was not on good grounds. If it was on good grounds I would not mind.
If it was a conflict on principle, between right and wrong like the conflicts between us and Amin.
Were you against Amin the individual or Amin the system; because you have been working with people who worked with Idi Amin?
Not Amin as a person. What he represented. Amin represented a wrong position. He used the army to take over power. The army is a small group of people; what right do they have to govern the rest of society without the society’s consent?
But you also took government using the military.
Yes. As a temporary measure to restore democracy; that is why we call this government a transitional government, an interim government. We never said we have a right: to stay in power indefinitely. But we had to put out the fire and we could not put it out by peaceful means. This is where our legitimacy comes in. We are transient. We are not permanent.
You have given yourself a lot of time for a transitional government. Because even unelected (rulers) like Idi Amin were here for about eight years. Now you have also been in power for about eight years?
Well, first of all our transitional government has not been without participation. Very early on, we opened up for people to participate in (the political process in the) form of the RCs. Later on they went up to the national (parliament) level, the National Resistance Council (NRC).
In any case even if we had not opened up, it was clear that our programme was a transitional one. But ours was not only transitional, but also participatory. You cannot say that Amin did any of that!
So, apart from uniting Ugandans...
That was one. The second achievement was the economy.
But the peasants, if you look at them, have become poorer.
I don’t believe that the peasants have become poorer. They have not become richer in a number of cases, but I don’t think they have become poorer.
Because they are not even able to send their children to school. More and more kids are not going to school?
Were they able to do it in the past?
But wherever you have gone Mr President, people have told you they have “obwavu” (poverty) in their home.
Yes they have “obwavu” but your argument and other people’s false position is this “bwavu” is a new phenomenon. That there was opulence in the past; that poverty has come now. My argument is that there has always been poverty.
There is still poverty now. Poverty in the past was in an economy that had no hope of even overcoming that poverty.
Poverty now is in a stable, macro-economic framework where there is hope that (we shall come) out of poverty.
I am…
May I... [Gestures to be left to finish his point] Let me first finish my point. The second point on economic recovery is that we have made achievements in infrastructure. We have repaired 1,500 km of roads. This is physical; you cannot (dispute that). Power generation: We have so far increased power generation by 60 megawatts since 1986 and soon we shall have it increased by another 30 megawatts which will make our contribution to the power output in Uganda in the last seven years to 90 megawatts.
We are also planning to build another 200 megawatts dam. Then the stability of the currency, getting rid of the hunger for foreign currency. Now the tendency is not to reject the Uganda currency but actually to look for it. This is a (major achievement) because in the past whoever had the Uganda currency wanted to get rid of it in order to get dollars.
They were willing to pay any amount of the Uganda shilling to get one dollar. What was the logic behind all this? So that they take the dollar out and invest it abroad. Now the attitude is the opposite; people are dying to get the Uganda shilling in order to invest it here. That is why you journalists need to be a bit more serious in your analysis, not superficial.
It has been argued elsewhere that the middle class has benefited more from this arrangement than the ordinary people, the peasants, and you can see how they (the middle class) are building.
Before you start to argue about who has benefited and who has not, you need to have stability. You cannot argue about who has eaten more than the other without having order in the dining room. The cooks must cook; there must be a dining table, there must be a place so that we can start arguing now who has eaten more and who has eaten less (laughter). But there was disorder and there was no possibility of cooking. There was no way you could generate wealth. So eating, eating what? There was nothing to eat.
You say you have stabilised the economy, but last year’s budget some taxes were imposed, then you had to retract them. The same thing is going to happen this year. Do we lack proper economic planners?
Well, there is some confusion among some of the planners. That is what happens even in other countries. There are arguments, differences in opinion, but all in order.
So are you confident this order will continue?
Of course it will continue. Now with this order, I have told these planners that they should have only three priorities.
Infrastructure; including social amenities like education and roads, law and order, police and judiciary; so that there is no crime; people are secure, and then defence; it is also security but of a different kind. Within these three the people would do the rest.
Mr President, you seem to be stressing more on foreign investors. Local investors are frustrated that you personally come in to help the foreign investors and not them also.
But if they don’t complain how do I know? Because I have helped many local investors when I have known, but that I should not be the one doing it, it should be done automatically. That is my battle; to ensure that these people stop delaying anybody. How will this stability help the common man? Because there is also another confusing argument of saying; “Oh Mr. Museveni you have brought order in the dining room, but this one has eaten more than this one. Okay we shall see how we distribute the food”.
Now what is the solution to the poverty of the homesteads? Because if the Ugandans are 17 million, and there are five people in each family, you can assume that there are four million families. Now the problem is that many of these families don’t do anything for cash, mainly because of lack of knowing what to do. They grow their potatoes, their bananas, eat them that is all. And this is because of poor local leadership. The leaders don’t advise them and because of lack of education, they don’t know what to do for themselves so they just sit.
There was a time when government, including you, told them; “grow more cotton; maize, there is market”. Then they grew a lot of it, and the things were not bought; so, that is what discourages them; because what they produce is not bought
All this is ignorance and poor leadership. For instance, I grew maize myself when the price was good. I harvested 200 bags of maize. When the price of maize went down, I stopped growing maize and went to something else. But there is a problem of lack of education. You have to be mobile in the economy. Because of lack of education they are immobile.
Maybe it is because government has not tried to link our agriculture with our industry.
If the government tried to do it, it would not manage. The problems are two; lack of an entrepreneurial mind, in these homesteads; the second is leadership which does not concentrate on incomes of the people; they just concentrate on politics.
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This year it seems there is a problem because even the economy of the middle class, which was doing better. People tied a lot of money in bungalows, especially in Mbarara and Kampala, which are not creating any money. There was a craze for building “dollar houses”, now that has also collapsed.
But that is not a problem. This is good. That shows you that our policy is right. Our government did not control rent although people were crying for that in 1986. This attracted a lot of investment in housing. And now we have solved our housing problem for the middle income people. Now that middle income housing [is saturated], investment will go into the low income area; that is how you use the market; system to solve problems.
Of course, some of them will experience hardships because they sunk money in houses and now the houses are not rentable. Although I think even this is a, temporary problem. This is a, temporary imbalance. I think it will correct itself. But on the other hand, these Ugandans need to develop sharper business acumen; to predict the market.
Government should be leading the way at least in guiding them so that there is some way of knowing which area is better to invest in.
But how do you advise? I want government to be out of this business. Because who are you to guide them?
Because government has the money to do research and feasibility studies. This is what has been done in the Far East from. Today there is too much unemployment in town, and government has been laying off people.
I am not very sure about what was happening in the Far East but even in those economies one has got to be careful, because many people don’t know the factors that led to that growth. The presence of American bases is never talked about. All those were American bases. Japan, South Korean, Thailand, Malaya (a British base) the only one which has done well on its own is Indonesia but it has also got a big debt of $70b. Let us not be too excited. For me I prefer to move according to what I think is right.
The other element we have done for the economy has been liberalisation, because it puts the economy in the hands of the population rather than the hands of bureaucrats. And I think this is a good long term measure. These other problems, as long as there is freedom for producers and as long as there is a stable financial situation, as long as infrastructure is expanding, we shall solve these problems.
Your, opponents from the east and north (of Uganda) have been accusing you of not balancing development, that you have concentrated on the West and South.
How, can they give examples?
Well that most of the important projects [your government] has put up in the south and the west and not their areas.
What projects? We have tarmacked the road all the way to Soroti. We had to fight in order to tarmac that road, we were being shot at. Who tarmacked that road? Do you travel on it? We repaired the road (although we did not tarmac it) all the way to Karamoja. We have built the road to Kamuli from Jinja, All the roads in Iganga which are not tarmacked have been worked on. Iganga is one of the districts which got their road equipment early, the north, each district has got its own road equipment Gulu, Kitgum and Lira. Mbarara does not yet have its own road equipment, Masaka does not have. All those northern districts have their road equipment. The problem was money to put in fuel. Because of the insurgency, the revenue base of those districts shrunk and we were trying to support them with grants.
They also say that you have given the most important jobs in government to people from the west and not “their children?”
Now let me first finish what NRM has done, you are now diverting me. One; harmony, two; economic stabilisation and recovery. There is still some poverty, especially among the peas-antry in some of the areas. The cure for that is for them to use the infrastructure we have given them to produce and sell. The third advantage was to cleanse the image of Uganda internationally. Uganda now almost is a model in Africa. The other one is ideological.
So what remains to be done, [why do] you want to remain in power?
To consolidate and eliminate poverty, to do what has not yet been done; banish poverty in the rural areas and to expand infrastructure because now I want to cover the whole country with feeder roads. So these are very big issues. When I see these people running around, I pity Africa. When we came electricity generation which the British had left had shrunk to about 80 megawatts. In the next two years we shall perhaps have put it back to about 400 megawatts. But people don’t think about all this. Health; we have already done this in form of immunisation. If it was not for HIV/Aids, we could already have had a very big impact on the rural population.
Some of your opponents have argued that your NRM is not a Movement; that it is your Museveni as benevolent dictator and people from your tribe.
Let us first of all talk about the tribe. Who are the people from my tribe who are dominating the government, from what they tell you?
Some people say westerners?
Who are these westerners in proportion to the others?
I remember a deputy minister from the north once told me that the most important ministries are either given to people from the west or Buganda and these ministries have big money. But that those from the north get small ministries.
Like…Like what?
Like Industry, like Defence, like Education, Finance, like Minerals [these are the ones westerners get).
But even when you head a ministry you may not be the one who gives yourself money. Money is given to you by the Cabinet centrally. Even by Parliament.
They say that those large ministries which automatically get huge sums of money are not entrusted to people from those areas.
From which areas now?
From the north and east
Oh, but Omara Atubo was my Minister of State for Defence, have they forgotten that? If he misbehaved what could I do? I am the one who appointed him. I didn’t know where he was. He was certainly not anywhere. He was not active. But I used to know him when we were in the NCC (National Consultative Council), and I appointed him Minister of State for Defence. [Maj. Gen Fred] Okecho was Permanent Secretary for Defence. Are these from the west or from Buganda? Ogwal has been the Permanent Secretary of Education until recently. I don’t even know who the PS is now. Muzira has been the Permanent Secretary in Health, if they are talking about these big ministries.
It is also said that the ministers who are seen as bad people by the public are the ones who are around you and the ones you give most responsibility.
I am not convinced about the accusations about them because for me I see what they do, they do a good job. And I am not satisfied with malice. You see the problem is that some of these people are just envious. When they see that someone has become prominent, they want to shoot him or her down because they have got their own ideas that if we remain leaderless long enough, then their own chances of coming up will improve. They don’t want a leadership to emerge.
Yeah, I want to talk about corruption. You have been very harsh to corrupt people in the NRA but you are very soft on politicians who are corrupt. Why is this so?
Because we don’t have proof. You see in the army it is easier because there are more cadres there who know what they are doing than in the civilian section. Here you don’t get any facts. Just rumours. Also I think because the system had completely broken down. The CID doesn’t work. The Auditor General doesn’t do his work properly. We created the department of IGG, who unfortunately recruited young boys from Makerere who are well intentioned but they don’t know what to do; how to conclusively investigate a case so that you are sure when you take action.
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At times you have tried to justify corruption by saying [that the type of) corruption now it “better” because people spend money here and build houses.
I no, no, that is just joking.
But people have taken it that actually you are not serious about corruption?
Yes, I am very serious, but even then [they used to] recycle money in a bad way. Because of the general security today, even when someone steals money there is no panic to run away. But that is not to say that there is no better way of recycling that if it could be kept in government, paid as salaries, they could build houses. But the real reason [for failing to deal with corruption] is the poor investigation so that you are sure.
And the poor pay to these investigations?
If he is used to getting Shs10 million on each case of corruption, how much are you going to pay him to wean him from stealing? We have paid the people of Uganda Revenue Authority. But they are still corrupt from what I hear. Yeah. So I think the solution will have to be to scrap some of these things and bring in foreign agencies.
Foreigners?
Yes! People who come from more stable environment.
Yeah, but you pay them a lot of money. If foreigners come you pay them Shs5 million; if you paid that to me I would also work without being corrupt.
I am not sure if you are used to Shs10 million (laughs). Either that, because I hear that is what has been done in Malaysia, they brought in foreign people or do what I have started doing in the Revenue Authority by putting in people whom you trust politically and who, there are because of political conviction, fight corruption because they know its implications on the economy.
Are you satisfied with your performance on that front? Some of them think that you are also corrupt?
They could be but (you still have better chances of fighting corruption) if you put there someone with motivation. Of course there is no guarantee but if you mix them with others there could be a chance. Because of motivation, is committed to government and he wants you to succeed. Of course this is not the best because it is better to have professional people who will be politically neutral and serve all governments. If it doesn’t [work] then I will have to go for the foreigners (laughs).
That would be most unfortunate Mr President?
But really what can I do? They are thoroughly unethical and unpatriotic [Ugandans].
You are a leader and you should lead from the front. I agree, but must you remain oblivious to what the public says? I cannot remove anybody unless I am convinced that he is not fit. What they are talking about is rubbish. It is not true. It has nothing to do with the job to be done and I know that doing jobs is not easy.
Mr President, even if you leave the ministers and go to the parastatals and the Authorities and Corporations and you take a look at the top, it is quite obvious.
Fortunately I am the one who initiated the policy of filling parastatals by competition. It was never there before. They go for interviews and they get selected on merit. Still it is not perfect because the minister receives three names and decides on one.
Are you confident that you will retain power next year if we have elections?
I don’t care whether I retain power or not
But are you confident that you will retain power?
I am not bothered one way or the other. The fact is that the people get a chance. Why should I say “I am sure.” It is up to the people. If they want me to help them. I will offer myself because I want to finish these big programmes of stabilising and restructuring the economy. And building the image of Uganda. But if the people of Uganda don’t vote me, I will be relieved, [laughter] I will be liberated.
Why don’t you let the parties back and let the people reject them and why don’t you send an olive branch to the former leaders?
The people will get the chance to reject the parties in the referendum or through the CA. But if you say that I should support, politically, a situation where NRM is a party, and there is DP, UPC—then even if NRM wins, it will no longer be a Movement of all the people. It will be a party itself.
I am not interested in a section. I want all the people of Uganda together. NRM can win elections sure. If it became a party. But this will mean a failure for my strategy.
Under the NRM system, how does somebody replace you as leader?
Oh? We stand as leaders, three or five people. Because you are associated with the system as yours it might be difficult to dislodge you. No just stand as national leaders, and whoever is voted for becomes the head of a united house. This is very simple, what is the problem? But whoever is elected becomes head of the whole united Uganda.
Talk of a united house, why are you people in Ankole treating Prince John Barigye differently in respect to this question of the return of kingdoms?
No again. There are no double standards. It is one standard. The amendment which we made in the Constitution says that those areas which had kings can have them if they so wish. Those firm words are there. So whoever wants to be restored as a cultural leader must show that the people wish that he becomes otherwise it becomes a problem. We are not going to allow somebody to impose himself on the people or we to impose him on them.
Barigye people believe they have support, but that you Museveni is against them, the Bahinda clan [the Hima clan that provide Nkole kings] and that they helped you to fight your war, and you didn’t give them jobs. You have never appointed any Muhinda as Minister except Nasasira who has a small job.
Very good, for me I am not working for Bahinda I am working for the people of Uganda. If the Bahinda are part of Uganda I will work with them. If they distance themselves then that is their problem. Well, Obugabe can be hereditary, but Army Commandership is not (laughs); unfortunately. The presidency is temporary, for us ordinary people everything is temporary. It is only the traditional rulers who are permanent. So really that is the issue of Barigye. We cannot be unfair with the people, in order to please Barigye or his clan.
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When were you born, the date and month?
I don’t know the date when I was born. I don’t know the month. But I know the year was 1944.
There have been accusations that you are not a Ugandan; that you are a Rwandan. It is Obote who started this.
Oh! But that is very easy to prove. Go to Ntungamo and ask. You go to Rukungiri, because those are the people who know my people. You go and ask any of the elders there. We don’t have to waste time on that.
I am not a Munyarwanda. But even if I was a Munyarwanda; What would the original Ugandans have done better than me, the immigrant? You see this is the type of bankrupt politics we have.
Mr President how many children do you have? Because Ugandans don’t know how many children you have or even their names?
That is not the business of Ugandans. What do they want with my family? What do they want with my children? Suppose I had a child with somebody’s wife. Am I going to announce this? (Laughs).
One time you wrote to Uganda Confidential and said that you don’t really have personal friends as such in your job.
That statement scared very many people. That they have a leader who does not have friends.
I don’t have them. Nobody comes to see me here in personal capacity; except my relatives.
NEW VISION’S MAN OF THE YEAR SHOCKED BUT DID NOT SURPRISE ME
In the Best and Worst of 2011, the New Vision had one challenge; to show that President Museveni was still relevant. Like in the 2011 Presidential Race, strategy was needed. At the end of the day, the exercise brought out what makes it the biggest joke. Of all the years President Museveni has been in that Hot seat, there is no single year that has impacted negatively on the whole country as 2011, in which case if the poll was to be taken seriously, it is a change in that slot that would make it worthy taking serious. It is because of that wish to protect the already damaged reputation of President Museveni that other slots are relatively reflecting objective thinking. This is what will finally kill Uganda.
I wanted the Saturday Vision because I knew there was much in summary of what the year 2011 had been, only to be greeted by the bad news of Museveni being the man of the year. If there was as independent referenda on this, New Vision would be ashamed of the outcome. Out there, apart from the fear of insecurity, the fact is people are feed up with Museveni’s administration, take it or leave it. It is promising a lot of hopelessness, emptiness and surely, those voting him are may be the few currently benefitting from the hopelessness of the status quo.
The Best and Worst came out after I had just finished working on a two year in one calendar for the Old Boys of St. Mary’s College Kisubi. The calendar ended up a two year in one as I had so many old boys to include, to bring out who have lived to the norm of St. Mary’s College Kisubi manufacturing leaders in Uganda and worldwide. I left out figures with a lot of question marks but are prominent, however, may be if I had access to photos, there are many more old boys I left out simply because they are Internet shy. I believe that in our age and time, it should be possible to access a few details about an individual from the net, but it is not the case with some figures and that was reason I left them out, and may be saved my having made a three year in one calendar for the old boys. Actually, it is after I had finished sending out the calendar electronically that I remembered that I had not included the Youthful MP, the only Gerald Karuhanga. In 2006, when I was working on St. Mary’s College Kisubi History for the School’s Centenary Magazine, I remember communicating to the Old Boys and requesting them to support Karuhanga for Guild President at Makerere University, by some luck, the boy made it. Hopefully, he will remain a shining star.
As we start the year 2012, it is important to be object, we are suffering and because we are blinded either by being favoured in jobs, we forget the injustice our people are going through. In my SMACK OBs’ 2012 – 2013 Calendar a number of old boys feature who have outstanding qualifications but are employed where the returns to work make sense. This is a challenge to the NRM Government, it does not make any sense to pretend that things are okay when out there people are being exploited and the little they would subsist on is also meaningless as the currency keeps depreciating by the day. I bought the copy of Saturday Vision in a Super Market, however, the prices of essentials is a big shock. Government would not sit back and leave things going the way they are. If a teacher gets shs 200,000, think about what this money can do and then get to the drawing board to see it improved. One strategy is to reduce expenditure of politics related non productive entities like the useless Presidential advisers and a number of other strategies can bail the country out in the short run and thereafter in the long run, but not Government sitting back. Recently, a certain man got work to cut grass for a big compound using a motorized machine. This work he does for 2 days and gets shs 150,000 as pay. Assuming he uses fuel of up to shs 50,000, the shs 100,000 makes sense. Such work which is unskilled is pulling skilled people, and then you imagine what will happen with time to areas that require skill but Government has paid lip service to see work conditions worth.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
I wanted the Saturday Vision because I knew there was much in summary of what the year 2011 had been, only to be greeted by the bad news of Museveni being the man of the year. If there was as independent referenda on this, New Vision would be ashamed of the outcome. Out there, apart from the fear of insecurity, the fact is people are feed up with Museveni’s administration, take it or leave it. It is promising a lot of hopelessness, emptiness and surely, those voting him are may be the few currently benefitting from the hopelessness of the status quo.
The Best and Worst came out after I had just finished working on a two year in one calendar for the Old Boys of St. Mary’s College Kisubi. The calendar ended up a two year in one as I had so many old boys to include, to bring out who have lived to the norm of St. Mary’s College Kisubi manufacturing leaders in Uganda and worldwide. I left out figures with a lot of question marks but are prominent, however, may be if I had access to photos, there are many more old boys I left out simply because they are Internet shy. I believe that in our age and time, it should be possible to access a few details about an individual from the net, but it is not the case with some figures and that was reason I left them out, and may be saved my having made a three year in one calendar for the old boys. Actually, it is after I had finished sending out the calendar electronically that I remembered that I had not included the Youthful MP, the only Gerald Karuhanga. In 2006, when I was working on St. Mary’s College Kisubi History for the School’s Centenary Magazine, I remember communicating to the Old Boys and requesting them to support Karuhanga for Guild President at Makerere University, by some luck, the boy made it. Hopefully, he will remain a shining star.
As we start the year 2012, it is important to be object, we are suffering and because we are blinded either by being favoured in jobs, we forget the injustice our people are going through. In my SMACK OBs’ 2012 – 2013 Calendar a number of old boys feature who have outstanding qualifications but are employed where the returns to work make sense. This is a challenge to the NRM Government, it does not make any sense to pretend that things are okay when out there people are being exploited and the little they would subsist on is also meaningless as the currency keeps depreciating by the day. I bought the copy of Saturday Vision in a Super Market, however, the prices of essentials is a big shock. Government would not sit back and leave things going the way they are. If a teacher gets shs 200,000, think about what this money can do and then get to the drawing board to see it improved. One strategy is to reduce expenditure of politics related non productive entities like the useless Presidential advisers and a number of other strategies can bail the country out in the short run and thereafter in the long run, but not Government sitting back. Recently, a certain man got work to cut grass for a big compound using a motorized machine. This work he does for 2 days and gets shs 150,000 as pay. Assuming he uses fuel of up to shs 50,000, the shs 100,000 makes sense. Such work which is unskilled is pulling skilled people, and then you imagine what will happen with time to areas that require skill but Government has paid lip service to see work conditions worth.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
Saturday, December 31, 2011
THE SMACK OBs' 2012 - 2013 CALENDAR
Lordship Right Rev. Bishop Michaud’s Letter to Students October 26, 1941
My Dear Students,
You Must Be The Leaders In Uganda.
“I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my sincere gratitude to Rev. Brother Maurice, Principal, for the very keen interest he has taken in his work for this College, and the way he has led the students.
I have also to express my gratitude to all members of the staff for their loyal support and their unfailing efforts for the good of the school.
Last of all in this connection, and I think, the most important of all, I have to pay tribute to your spirit, boys, a spirit of real determination to do well which has animated you, in this, and in past years, a spirit which has earned success and which promises well for your future.
And this brings me straight to the subject of my address to you, To-day – YOUR FUTURE… You must become LEADERS. The aim of St. Mary’s is to produce Leaders in Uganda, in Africa. And you will never turn out to be leaders if you are not a personality; if you are not a character, a person having strength of mind.
You must be somebody… To be somebody, is to cultivate oneself, to study to make progress, with a heart full of enthusiasm, and a soul thirsting for beauty, eager for perfections; and no drawback, no suffering, can prevent us of reaching that goal.
Culture… What is culture? The culture of a mind is not measured by the quality of the things learnt. To be cultured, is not to know much; it is not to heap up plenty of knowledge; to store learning; it is not to be well of Science; a walking dictionary; it is not to be a living memento; it is neither to have read every thing, nor to have seen everything; it is not to be able to speak about everything even with a certain competence, one also may deceive others and make them believe he has culture.
One must oppose stored knowledge to “assimilate knowledge” (to assimilate, as you know, is to absorb and incorporate food into the system). Those are cultured who are able to assimilate knowledge.
For there is knowledge, which is only hung upon us, which is left at the door of our mind, and has not entered into it. That knowledge remains on the surface of our soul. On the contrary you have other learning, and knowledge, and information, which bind and tie themselves to our ideas, to our remembrance, to our passions, to our desires… they thus become an element, a part of our own self…they are in us flesh, blood, spirit and life. Between that knowledge and us, there is action and reaction, and it modifies itself and modifies us at the same time… there is assimilation. A person of culture digests what he learns… It is a man who has a good stomach…
To sum up … Culture is what is left in our mind, when we have forgotten everything… yes but the aptitude (the readiness in learning) is left, that is, the disposition or fitness to assimilate any knowledge.
Again to be a LEADER, to be somebody, it is not enough to be cultivated. One must before all conquer himself at the cost of long efforts.
It is true. But the results are worth the battle. Why should we give up out of discouragement? We conquer ourselves slowly, with method, with perseverance by a merciless struggle, without respite.
President Roosevelt once said that every success is made of 10% of inspiration and 90% of perspiration. How true it is!
Each one of us has his own deep tendencies, his own propensities, and we have to utilize them for the highest expression of our personality. It is our daily task to master our sensibility, to stimulate our energy.
To be somebody, is to forge, to coin our soul in accustoming her to the strife; that battle against our own self; against the passions: a contest which will cease only when we die…(for, we Catholics, know so well we bear the consequence of the original sin).
Such a hard struggle supposes evidently that we receive blows, and wounds… sometimes we may fall… but it is nature law: all transformation is preceded by a death. We cannot lift up our soul without pulling her away from the earth, and it is done painfully.
For there is not a minute of our life in which there is not a duty; and we know that duty does not beseech and pray, but it commands. And to answer the call of duty we must know to constrain ourselves, and if necessary, to suffer.
Efforts, endeavours, are the essential condition of success, or whatever name you call it… In spite of the roughness of effort we are wrong to fear it. Effort is the honour, the merit, and the beauty of life. The harshness of effort is cause of its fruitfulness.
Then, in a higher sphere, let us neglect nothing to sanctify our soul. For what are we to be? Leaders? Yes, but CATHOLIC LEADERS. And a Catholic Leader must be able to sanctify himself by sacrificing himself. When you raise yourself above your passions, above your weakness, and your mediocrity, it is not to enjoy a peace bought at such a cost, but to be full of kindness to all; but to understand more and give out more: in a word TO SERVE…
To be a Catholic Leader, to be somebody, to be a character, to live very high, to control our passion, we must SERVE.
Christ the King our master, our Divine Model, did not simply give the example of an extraordinary life, of an admirable teaching; but He was kind; He did any one service: He healed the sick, fed the hungry, helped the humble, and that conquered their hearts, and prepared them to hear and accept His gospel. To serve … We must not forget this lesson of our Lord.
Of course let us develop in ourselves the natural qualities which will enable us to be a living example to those we live with; let us dream of the conquest of souls… Let us acquire the Science necessary to realize our aims. But all that must not make us forget to act… ACTION. It is all very good to be a true knight, ardent, polite, pure, enthusiastic, devoted, learned and full of good ideas… But if we do not act… our value as Catholic Leaders will be poor.
Let us live in the reality and not in dream.
Then, my dear students work here in St. Mary’s, not only to prepare your future task, but also to give your next neighbours, some peace and happiness. Do not look for some great and sublime occasion to serve, to devote yourselves, you perhaps often forget that a humble brother near you is just waiting for the word which would cheer him up; the gesture, which would help and save him. Do not look too far away, and too high up, but look in front of you, and at your sides.
Thus, the young leader-to-be, in St. Mary’s, not only must dream high, and see on a large scale, in grand style; he must not only be a good example; but he must HELP the others… to serve… He will help the poor, the sick, he will help his friends; his fellow students, charity of his affection; charity of his good advices; of his time…with patience he will share their joys, and their sorrows.
In short, the Leader-to-be will not only be polite and correct, but also will sacrifice himself, and devote himself to the material and moral services of his brother, and show others what is kindness… Action…Service…
Now I want to consider another important aspect of our subject. RESPONSIBILITY, that is, that for which one is responsible, is accountable, is answerable. A leader must have a sense of responsibility.
Yesterday is yesterday; it teaches us, it brings us experiences, traditions, energies; and also evils, which we must ignore and throw away… Yes, but yesterday should not make us forget our responsibility.
For you, young Catholic Leaders, your responsibilities are three fold: First: You have the responsibility of your soul, which you must save by all means. You are responsible for your own soul, and nobody else is.
Then prepare yourselves for the struggle of life. You have also the responsibility of your temporal future, which you must prepare in acquiring the science and knowledge and experience necessary.
Especially here in this College, you make your own tools for your future life. Learn before all to think. It is a great privilege to have the liberty of thinking and judging by ourselves. Do not accept to be condemned to deal with ready made opinions you collect around you, repeating what others repeat from house to house: common place – topics, and common place subjects…
Be yourselves… be the authors of your own convictions, and work without respite to grow interiorly… in a word be personal. Otherwise you do not live…you vegetate…
Your second responsibility is the souls of your brothers; the souls of those who share your life. You must try to communicate to them by dint of devotedness and sacrifice, the ardent faith, which should be yours. Thy Kingdom come!
Your third responsibility is the future of your country. It is indispensable to prepare yourselves, with all those of your generation, in order that in 10, 15, or 20 years you be ready to become the leaders of the family, of the profession, of the city and the country…yes but Catholic Leaders.
Young students of St. Mary’s do you think of this threefold responsibility? Do you prepare to shoulder it? If not, you will betray your cause, and leave the way opened to the enemy. Indeed such an effort is hard; it seems to be severe… it claims of you the sacrifice of your selfishness: and that means a lot. It requires a personal work of training and of radiance, which precisely frightens our instinctive laziness and our natural cowardice. But be sure that such endeavour, by self-denial, and abnegation and perseverance and an incessant struggle, will merit you the success you desire.
Again have you, with the knowledge of your responsibilities towards your soul, towards your brothers, towards your country, that of the work to be taken in hand, to answer their exigencies? Here are the very problems, which command your future.
From the solution given by you, Young Catholics, a new Christendom may arise in Africa. That and no less should be your aim. It will be a long and arduous task to attain it. But you shall certainly not achieve your purpose if you hold back timidly for fear that you may make mistakes. Of course you shall make mistakes, but you shall, by the grace of God, make also much that is right, and good, and is lasting.
But be sure of one thing. Without Christ in the school you fight in vain to become true leaders. Education without religion is like a barren land. And a country without religion sooner or later marches to its doom. I know well that we agree on this point.
It is the Holy Father who said: “There are three virtues youth have to exercise in our days: obedience, purity of heart and piety.”
First OBEDIENCE, which Our Saviour exercised in His youth. Obedience is no weakness, but voluntary self-subordination under a principle, an act of virtue.
In the second place I mention the purity of heart, which I read in your eyes when you receive the Holy Communion. Purity is the reserve of all the spiritual and bodily forces, and a treasure for the whole life.
Thirdly, piety must be named and I remember a proverb: Who knows how to pray, is a man. Whoever would exercise virtue, wants the help of the Highest, and receives that grace by the power of prayer.
May Christ the King to whom we have devoted our lives this morning, on this great Feast Day, help us all to be obedient, to be pure of heart, and be pious. Thus, no doubt we shall be one day real Catholic Leaders in Africa… Christ the King must reign over us first, and over every creature…
Thy Kingdom come!”
Friday, December 30, 2011
LET US HOPE THAT MONEY MENT TO UPLIFT MULAGO WILL NOT BE EATEN
Mothers and their attendants sit in the corridor in Mulago Hospital maternity ward awaiting discharge. This was during yesterday’s visit by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Nandala Mafabi, and other legislators who were on a fact-finding mission on the hospital’s services. Photo by Stephen Otage
By Yasiin Mugerwa (email the author)
Posted Friday, December 30 2011 at 00:00
It is now a month, but Ms Harriet Akite, who came to Mulago Hospital looking for fibroids treatment, is still waiting for a doctor. She has not recovered, still struggles to speak, but is now looking for Shs100,000 to take her back to Apac. She was given a rusty bed in the corridors of Oncology Ward. More so, it is lunch time but Ms Akite is eating porridge.
She embodies the predicament of many Ugandans who seek medical service at country’s national referral hospital, Mulago. In the Labour Ward, expectant mothers are packed in dilapidated and tiny leaking rooms, and in Ward 4A, patients and their relatives use a single toilet. At the Cancer Institute, patients are put on drip while seated because beds are not enough.
The disclosure of the extent of the rot at the national referral hospital emerged yesterday when the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Nandala Mafabi, led a delegation of Shadow Cabinet members on a fact-finding mission at the hospital where they came face-to-face with reality.
“They are forcing us to buy medicine yet we don’t have the money. The doctors are telling us to blame government why can’t you help us,” a man in General Paediatric Ward shouted to the MPs.
“The sick people are sleeping on the floor yet others are getting treatment while standing,” Mr Mafabi said. “Mulago Hospital is sick and needs urgent help before it’s too late. Our people are suffering and what goes on in this hospital is unacceptable. One nurse is attending to 80 patients. If Mulago is sick how about other hospitals?”
Where is the problem?
The hospital executive director, Dr Byarugaba Baterana, bemoaned the congestion and understaffing.
“Poor staff remuneration is a serious challenge. Currently staffs get Shs110,000 consolidated allowances monthly. This should be increased to at least 330,000 to motivate them. But the hospital budget doesn’t permit this. Food is medicine but with our recurrent expenditure we can’t feed patients. Patients diversion to nearby clinics is another challenge the hospital is facing.”
However, Health ministry Permanent Secretary Asuman Lukwago said ideological objective is what is lacking in Mulago, adding that government has secured a loan of $88 million (about Shs200b) from the African Development Bank to rehabilitate Mulago. To decongest Mulago, two hospitals under Kampala Capital City Authority will be constructed in Kawempe and Kiruddu.
While Mr Mafabi and Dr Lulume Bayiga, the shadow health minister, promised to take the fight to Parliament, the Deputy Executive Director, Dr Doreen Birabwa apologised for the shortcomings at the hospital.
ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
WE EITHER CLEAR UGANDA OF CORRUPTION STARTING 2012 OR NEVER
Ugandans must stop handling the corrupt, better call them the National Treasury thieves with kid gloves. We are being silly as well as stupid to look on as a few people are exploiting the country. The type of suffering many Ugandans go through is greatly blamed on those in power who are simply looting the resources meant to benefit the masses. We have seen free medical services in Amin's time. If the NRM Government is able to tax the people of Uganda to the extent of leaving them paupers, the tax money MUST be seen go to productive sectors. It surprises to find in some areas of Uganda fruit trees flourish so well, but unfortunately, instead of the politicians planning to see how the locals can benefit from these fruits, they are simply busy stealing the little there is. Whoever is dishing out money to the politically connected thieves has one option, just to resign. No body in Uganda is above the Constitution, and if there is such a one, time is now to see the power put right. It disturbs to see everything wrong, and yet some funny guys are putting up complex buildings in an economy which long ago went to the dogs. Surely, the cost of utilities is the first thing which puts off many would be investors. You cannot invest transparently to lose money.
We have to do things right. Whoever imagines that he/she will use guns to loot Uganda must know that it is his backwardness that is deceiving him. We cannot sit back as people loot the country left and right. If one has no resources to undertake a project, he/she must give in, but not turn around to steal the treasury money. We are fed up of this stupid thieving, and it has to stop.
The Auditor General must get serious on auditing before funds are spent. It does not make sense any more to tell us that politically connected thieves have looted so many billions. There should be no such looting if the auditor generals office can get to audit all these transactions before they take place. It is hopeless continuing with a process which is time wasting with no sound recoveries made. At the same time, we must be concerned about chief executives who get astronomical sums of money. it is possible that one of the reasons they get this money is to have their organizations involved in deals that can easily get covered up. It may not be possible for example to establish who may have originated a transaction through a bank where big sums of money may have been lost as the bank can help handle such money without getting the originator's name or beneficiary name directly involved. We must wake up, because the NRM revolution has a lot of dirt unfortunately.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
LAWYER ASKS COURT TO BLOCK OIL AGREEMENTS
By CHRIS OBORE
Posted Thursday, December 29 2011 at 00:00
In Summary
Petitioner wants court to restrain government, Tullow and Heritage from undertaking further dealings in exploration, production and selling oil in the Albertine Grabben.
KAMPALA
A lawyer, acting in his private capacity as a citizen, has petitioned court to issue an injunction restraining government from signing any oil deals.
Mr Hamada Mulumba through Bwambale , Musede and Co. Advocates has petitioned court to restrain the Attorney General, Heritage Oil and Gas Limited and Tullow Uganda from “undertaking any further dealings including but not limited to exploration, production, selling, assigning, transferring any interest in exploration Area 3A (EA-3A) kingfisher (Kajubirizi) of the Albertine Graben.”
Tullow Uganda, one of the oil firms jointly sued with government, said they had received the suit. “Tullow is aware of the petition and shall follow due process to contest this case,” said Ms Cathy Adengo, the corporate communications manager.
Parliament decides
The suit comes after the NRM caucus recently voted to allow government sign off oil deals to start oil production despite earlier resolutions by Parliament halting oil transactions until enabling laws are enacted.
President Museveni announced early this month that he would sign off the deals with Total, CNOOC and Tullow by January. But Mr Mulumba in the suit filed on December 22 wants court to declare that the government granted exploration licences to the oil firms in total disregard of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets regulations. He also wants a declaration that Kingfisher discovery ceased to form part of the petroleum exploration area for Heritage and Tullow.
Raw deal
The petitioner also wants a declaration that the transfer of interests by Heritage to Tullow was null and void. The petitioner quotes former Energy Minister Hilary Onek’s letter written on August 17, 2010, to prove that Tullow illegally owns Kingfisher well. “The period within which you are supposed to have applied for a petroleum production licence for the Kingfisher field expired in February 2010,” Mr Onek wrote to Tullow and Heritage.
“In accordance with the powers entrusted to the minister under section 19 (1) (b) of the Act, I hereby direct that the Kingfisher (Kajubirizi) Discovery Area has ceased to form part of the Petroleum Exploration Area 3A (EA-3A) under the exploration licence granted to you on September 8, 2004,” it adds.
In his petition, Mr Mulumba also wants court to compel Heritage and Tullow to account “to the government for benefits accumulated ever since their illegal utilisation of Exploration Area 3A and pay a statutory fine of Shs100m for acting without a valid license.” The petitioner wants the government to comply with PPDA rules in any future oil transactions.
Mr Mulumba’s lawyers said court had fixed hearing of their application for certificate of urgency today. “This is an urgent matter but court is on vacation. We are trying to get a certificate of urgency to have this matter fixed during vacation so that it can be heard,” said Denis Musede, adding: “Intended sell is to take place any time before the end of January; we want a temporary injunction restraining the transaction before the hearing of the main suit.”
cobore@ug.nationmedia.com
UBOS SHOULD TAKE UP THE VOTER REGISTRATION EXCERCISE AS WELL AS THE I. D PROJECT
It is a fact that there are discrepancies in figures; a case in point is when in 2006 the Uganda Bureau of Statistics openly disputed the number of registered voters. It is common sense that NRM Government has manipulated figures over the years to achieve various intentions. However, this practice cannot go on for ever. In the process, the NRM administration has achieved in being at the leadership top in Uganda for now over 25 years. The question is: What has NRM delivered to Ugandans? The answer is debts.
Time is now to get to the drawing board and do things right as educated and visionary people. Selfish and hopeless intentions cannot drive the future of Uganda. We cannot have a currency depreciating all the time simply because a handful of people are implementing hopeless schemes. We must be seen productive given the natural resources of the country. Time has run out for those who sing hopeless songs that they fought. You fight to enrich yourself and see resources of the country looted. It simply cannot work and those who have been in the practice of this must stop. This backwardness in their practice of Government business cannot go on as Ugandans look on. Whoever loots property for Ugandans will at some moment in time pay back.
In the meantime, Government should have projects to do with population figures like the voter register, the National Identity cards done by one Government department which will ensure that all the figures are consistent. We are feed up of stupid figures, the registering of non - Ugandans to vote, name them.
The duty is ours to clean the mess the 25 year old NRM has cause to the country and its future.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
NATIONAL ID SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
Written by Editorial
Sunday, 24 April 2011 17:32
The Immigration and Citizenship Directorate has announced that the first batch of the long-awaited national identity cards is ready for distribution.
It has also been reported that the ID cards will be officially launched on May 12 by President Museveni during his swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Airstrip in Kampala. According to the minister of state for Internal Affairs, Matia Kasaija, there is a plan for the President to distribute the IDs to other top government officials present.
German firm, Mühlbauer Technology Group, is behind the controversial Shs 185bn project which it embarked on in the run-up to the just ended general elections.
A ministry of Internal Affairs delegation told Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs committee last week that after the President and other top officials have been served, national IDs will be given to the people registered as voters by the Electoral Commission last year.
The idea of national IDs is noble and has been on the cards for such a long time. However, merging the ID project with the bio-metric voter registration system, as the government has sought to do, is problematic.
Besides, our view is that seeking to politicise the project by launching it on President Museveni’s swearing-in is ill-advised.
It is a fact that a lot of Ugandans, either out of apathy, cynicism, lack of trust in the electoral system, or any other reason, do not participate in the country’s electoral processes. Therefore, using the voter register as a benchmark for national IDs will exclude these citizens.
In addition, voter registration in Uganda is a highly contentious issue and politicians never seem to agree on how many genuine voters are therein. Integrating the national ID project with such a discredited system will no doubt raise serious credibility issues for the former.
To protect its integrity and keep it free of politics, the national ID project should be handled independently.
In fact, with adequate support, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) could have done this at a reasonable cost. As it is now, a lot of money is being spent on a project that not many people will have faith in.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION ANNOUNCES 13,954,129 VOTERS
The Uganda Electoral Commission has announced that a total of 13,954,129 Ugandans have been registered to vote in the 2011 general elections.
The Electoral Commission Chairman, Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu says the national voters register is complete and all polling stations have been issues with their respective voters registers.
He says despite concerns from several stakeholders over the none issuance of voters cards to some registered voters, the electoral commission will allow all people who are registered to vote.
Kiggundu says only registered voters will be allowed to vote at the polling station where they are registered, and this shall include persons whose particulars and photographs appear on the National Voters’ Register, whether they have a Voters’ Card or not, as per Section 34 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, (as amended).
He says according to Section 35 of the Presidential Elections Act (as amended), a person who has a Voters’ Card and whose particulars appear on the National Voters’ Register, but whose photograph is missing, shall also be allowed to vote, after proper identification.
The Electoral Commission in a press statement says non issuance of voters cards is due to the fact that all regiered voters are going to be given National Identity Cards under another government project currently being run by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Dr. Abed Bwanika
The President of the People’s Development Party, Dr. Abed Bwanika who is competing in the presidential elections says the opposition cannot trust the results of elections where voters have no voters cards. He says this will open room for all people; include underage and foreigners to vote.
Other opposition leaders like Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Inter party Colaition/ Forum for Democratic Change says the over 14 million voters on the register is an inflated number given that Uganda has an estimated population of 32 million people, 51% of whom are below 15years.
But Kiggundu insists that the national voters register is accurate and population estimates are not accurate like the voters register which resulted from nationwide system registration of people for the voting exercise in 2011
Time is now to get to the drawing board and do things right as educated and visionary people. Selfish and hopeless intentions cannot drive the future of Uganda. We cannot have a currency depreciating all the time simply because a handful of people are implementing hopeless schemes. We must be seen productive given the natural resources of the country. Time has run out for those who sing hopeless songs that they fought. You fight to enrich yourself and see resources of the country looted. It simply cannot work and those who have been in the practice of this must stop. This backwardness in their practice of Government business cannot go on as Ugandans look on. Whoever loots property for Ugandans will at some moment in time pay back.
In the meantime, Government should have projects to do with population figures like the voter register, the National Identity cards done by one Government department which will ensure that all the figures are consistent. We are feed up of stupid figures, the registering of non - Ugandans to vote, name them.
The duty is ours to clean the mess the 25 year old NRM has cause to the country and its future.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
NATIONAL ID SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT
Written by Editorial
Sunday, 24 April 2011 17:32
The Immigration and Citizenship Directorate has announced that the first batch of the long-awaited national identity cards is ready for distribution.
It has also been reported that the ID cards will be officially launched on May 12 by President Museveni during his swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Airstrip in Kampala. According to the minister of state for Internal Affairs, Matia Kasaija, there is a plan for the President to distribute the IDs to other top government officials present.
German firm, Mühlbauer Technology Group, is behind the controversial Shs 185bn project which it embarked on in the run-up to the just ended general elections.
A ministry of Internal Affairs delegation told Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs committee last week that after the President and other top officials have been served, national IDs will be given to the people registered as voters by the Electoral Commission last year.
The idea of national IDs is noble and has been on the cards for such a long time. However, merging the ID project with the bio-metric voter registration system, as the government has sought to do, is problematic.
Besides, our view is that seeking to politicise the project by launching it on President Museveni’s swearing-in is ill-advised.
It is a fact that a lot of Ugandans, either out of apathy, cynicism, lack of trust in the electoral system, or any other reason, do not participate in the country’s electoral processes. Therefore, using the voter register as a benchmark for national IDs will exclude these citizens.
In addition, voter registration in Uganda is a highly contentious issue and politicians never seem to agree on how many genuine voters are therein. Integrating the national ID project with such a discredited system will no doubt raise serious credibility issues for the former.
To protect its integrity and keep it free of politics, the national ID project should be handled independently.
In fact, with adequate support, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) could have done this at a reasonable cost. As it is now, a lot of money is being spent on a project that not many people will have faith in.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION ANNOUNCES 13,954,129 VOTERS
The Uganda Electoral Commission has announced that a total of 13,954,129 Ugandans have been registered to vote in the 2011 general elections.
The Electoral Commission Chairman, Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu says the national voters register is complete and all polling stations have been issues with their respective voters registers.
He says despite concerns from several stakeholders over the none issuance of voters cards to some registered voters, the electoral commission will allow all people who are registered to vote.
Kiggundu says only registered voters will be allowed to vote at the polling station where they are registered, and this shall include persons whose particulars and photographs appear on the National Voters’ Register, whether they have a Voters’ Card or not, as per Section 34 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, (as amended).
He says according to Section 35 of the Presidential Elections Act (as amended), a person who has a Voters’ Card and whose particulars appear on the National Voters’ Register, but whose photograph is missing, shall also be allowed to vote, after proper identification.
The Electoral Commission in a press statement says non issuance of voters cards is due to the fact that all regiered voters are going to be given National Identity Cards under another government project currently being run by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Dr. Abed Bwanika
The President of the People’s Development Party, Dr. Abed Bwanika who is competing in the presidential elections says the opposition cannot trust the results of elections where voters have no voters cards. He says this will open room for all people; include underage and foreigners to vote.
Other opposition leaders like Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Inter party Colaition/ Forum for Democratic Change says the over 14 million voters on the register is an inflated number given that Uganda has an estimated population of 32 million people, 51% of whom are below 15years.
But Kiggundu insists that the national voters register is accurate and population estimates are not accurate like the voters register which resulted from nationwide system registration of people for the voting exercise in 2011
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