The long-serving puppet-dictator is sensing the Mubarak treatment coming his way. It must [deleted] feeling like trashed used condoms after serving the white master so well. Kony must be laughing his azz off while jumping from tree to tree.
President Museveni warns western powers on recruiting Uganda officials as spies
Written by Ahmed Bogere Masembe |
March 30, 2012
President Yoweri Museveni has warned Western embassies against recruiting young Ugandan officials as spies and agents in government,describing it as an act of corruption and money laundering.
“We have reports that they invite our young members of parliament; give them funds which are not reported either in parliament or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is corruption, if they get money which they don’t declare. If it is to help our country, it should be reported. If it is not reported, it is looked at as some of our partners recruiting agents or spies in our country, he said, adding `We don’t want embassies of our friends to recruit spies from our people. We are not hostile powers to you; neither are we your enemies, why would you recruit? This is a serious form of corruption. If you get money from foreign sources and don’t declare to IGG, Parliament or police,you are not only corrupt, but an agent.”
Citing a woman only identified as Filipa from the conservative party in the United Kingdom who has been funding various young politicians travels in various countries,the President said private funding of Ugandan citizens is unacceptable.
“Giving Uganda officials cash, not cheque or paying through the bank is money laundering,” he said.
The President was yesterday meeting the European Union delegation to Uganda as part of their political dialogue with the President as agreed upon in article 8 of the Cotonou ACP-EU agreement. The meeting is meant to foster a deeper EU-Uganda political understanding and cooperation and focused on issues such as Democracy and Human rights, Peace and Security and Economic Growth and Governance.
The delegation was led by the Head of Delegation of the European Union Dr Roberto Ridolfi, the Ambassador of Belgium Marc Gedopt, the Ambassador of Denmark Nathalia Feinberg, Ambassador of Gemany Klaus Dieter Duxmann, that ofIreland Anne Webster, Ambassador of Itally Stefano Antonia Dejak, the Ambassador of France Aline Kuster-Menager, Ambassador of Netherlands Jeroen Verhaul,ambassador of Sweden Urban Andersson that of the United Kingdom Deputy High Commissioner Phillip Mani and Austrias’ Simone Knapp.
On the electoral reform progress and political space,President Museveni said Ugandahad a long struggle for its freedom, including its freedom to vote and after fighting a civil war, organized a constitution that was done very democratically.
“The draft was written by the Chief Justice and presented to the Constituency assembly. This gave both to the constitution of 1995. It is one of the most democratic document I have heard of with members of parliament for each constituency, women, youth, disabled – all marginalized groups are represented. The whole country sat and agreed on the constitution. This was our choice by our people. The only thing lacking is implementation especially the computerization of the voter register, mainly because of logistics,” he said.
While responding to Ambassador Dr. Roberto Ridolfi on the need to change the way the Electoral Commission is composed by either having the Judicial commission or an independent commission submit names from which the President can appoint members of the commission to promote consensus as part of electoral reforms before 2016, the President said while this was something to think about, it is important to know who the reformers are.
“Uganda has been a problem country, a failed state. The economy had collapsed, the worst forms of human rights abuses happened here. Now when all that was happening, there was a judiciary. One of the institutions that has scored highly on corruption is the judiciary. Cases of mob justice have increased where citizens kill criminals because they are tired of the judiciary. In fact I have been telling the Chief justice that if you keep on releasing criminals we have a big problem. So when you suggest the judiciary, bare this in mind,”he said.
He however agreed that the priority is for gradual reform of the institution because it is a technical job whose training takes time unlike the army.
“I can’t just disband the Judiciary or the civil service overnight. If you are interested in reform in Uganda,this is where we should start. We have already dealt with the army and now the police. Before you rush to say judiciary, let us think about it,” he said.
Responding to the Dutch Ambassador Nathalia Feinberg who said his country is ready to help with the implementation of the constitution, adding however that the quality of political dialogue is worrying as most debates are fought on the streets. President Museveni wondered what the dialogue would be about.
“With the elections, when you win, you run a government, if not you form a coalition. This is about running a country after an election. I can’t engage in a dialogue because we never had a minority government. The only dialogue is on the way forward on national issues,” he said.
The President said they formed an inter party forum with a rotating chairmanship but some groups refused to come, adding that this would be the best forum for dialogue.
‘What you say is polarization is just political indiscipline, terrorism and sabotage of the sovereignty of the people. But that will be sorted out.When work to work started, some people want us to let them walk and get tired.But I wanted them to work with the police. I’m responsible for the economy of Uganda and can’t ruin it. As the confusion continued, even those who said let them walk, regretted it. This polarization is artificial, it is not there,” he said.
The President said the police come in to quell the riots because of judicial weaknesses.
“You can’t get bail on certain terms, abuse those terms and get bail again. The problem is a weakness of the legal response. There is blackmail by an indisciplined group taking advantage of the laxity in the law. Even now in the opposition, those engaged are isolated. Not all opposition are engaged.Even those funding these…in Europe you have a lot of money, you can put it to good use,” he said.
The president said dialogue is important on elections and other strategic issues but not to form a government, adding that political funding is provided for under the constitution.
“The Problem in poor countries is that parties may not have enough money and may need to raise money from the private sector or donors. Getting funding from foreign players violates our constitution. If you have political groups funded from out, you risk the sovereignty of your country. Foreign funding is not acceptable,” he said.
The President however said that because of lack of cooperation of some groups and limited funds, this could not be enforced; adding that what the opposition feared was that the funding should be pegged on numbers in parliament.
“You have to discourage opportunism, how can you be empowered and remain patriotic. All this would be discussed under the interparty forum but because they get foreign funding, they are not interested in our small humble process.The foreign funding is part of the disturbances,” he said.
On the issue of UPDF representation in parliament, President Yoweri Museveni said when talking about democracy and reform, the army is one of the most reformed and democratic institutions including in the observance of human rights.
“They have done a lot in Somalia.It is not like the Americans where a soldier commits a crime in Afghanistan and is flown away to face justice at home. For us you face it there and then.The UPDF is in parliament as a listening post. Why are you worried about them being there? Many people in parliament where not there when we fought, the UPDF links the past and present by exploring their history to enrich debates. The army council elects these people and they are not partisan. That inculcation of our history is important in parliament. Don’t paralyze democracy, let it evolve,”he said.
While reacting to the Swedish ambassador Urban Andersson’s comments on the issue of the enactment of the anti-torture Bill as a measure to strengthen the legal frame work to curb acts of torture, President Yoweri Museveni said he is totally against torture and urged the relevant minister to pursue the issue more seriously.
“Am totally against torture. Why torture, why not interrogate,” he said.
Anderson however hailed president Museveni and government on the regulation of public order management, saying there is a need for the regulation of demonstrations in order to safe guard people and property. The development partners who also expressed their condolences to the president over the death of ASP Ariong during the riots, said there was also need to clarify the rights and obligations on the citizens on the one hand and of public authority on the other.
“We look forward to the bill that will comply with Uganda laws and international standards on human rights guide on public demonstrations.
President Museveni said there was no problem with demonstrations or with people expressing their disagreements with government over any issues.
“You were all here during elections. I held 250 rallies around the country. Other people did the same. What was important was to coordinate with the EC on time and place.Now after the elections, EC not active anymore, it is the police to do the same. You agree with police where to hold meetings and through what route but because some groups want to discredit government saying they want to do a Tahrir and Benghazi and want to use Constitutional Square.
“Their intention is to provoke police to shoot so that innocent civilians are hurt and turn against government. I totally agree that demonstrations must be coordinated by police,” he said.
The donors raised issues with the anti homosexuality bill, which they say is a concern to the EU and that if passed will damage the reputation of Uganda and why government stopped the Lesbian,[deleted] and [deleted] meeting in Entebbe.
President Yoweri Museveni, gave a vast history of Uganda’s culture in which he said there were four prominent homosexuals, three of them chiefs and one of whom did very great work for the country.
“Those people were not killed, not discriminated and not persecuted. But black Africans have always kept their sexual matters confidential. I have been married to a beautiful lady called Janet for 38 years but I have never kissed her in public or in front of my children. Sexual matters, heterosexual or [deleted] must be confidential. What are you going to do about this, tell them to change their beliefs? Sexual exhibitionism is a big problem, please lets not get diverted. You can’t talk of overt sexual acts in black Africa,”he said.
The President said Ugandais against exhibitionism, promotion and luring of young people into homosexuality, adding that the bill on homosexuality was a private members bill, from a member of his party and that they would have to discuss the issue in their caucus.
The President however said, the constitution of Uganda and the Penal code which was put in place by the British government all outlaw homosexuality, adding that if they were to implement the law as it is, it would be worse.
Minister Lokodo who also attended the meeting defended the action by government saying the meeting which was dubbed, “Freedom to roam in Uganda’ by the Lesbian and [deleted] community was training trainers to promote and lure young people into the practice.
Italian Ambassador Stefano Antonio Dejak commended Uganda’s role in restoring peace in Somalia and sought to know from the President what kind of support the EU could extend to Somalia.
President Museveni said Uganda’s involvement in Somalia was ideological because of pan-africanism and that it is not interested in the country’s internal politics.
“Indefinite tenancy of power without mandate is dangerous because it makes people lazy and don’t build bridges among themselves. They spend time getting external supporters instead of focusing internally,” the president said while commenting on the political situation in Somalia.
He said from the information available, the country wanted to hold elections based on clans which are scattered and not based on geographical setting.
“Mogadishu is clear; why not hold elections there village to village, irrespective of clans. Build elected village leaders to become foundation for the rest of the elections,” he said.
The President urged development partners to support the building of Somalia infrastructure including public works, water etc.
On his view about the development of oil in the regional context,including the problems between South Sudan and Sudan,the President said social problems in Sudan including Arab chauvinism in which the Arabs after independence sought to government Sudan as an Arab country as opposed to Afro-Arab country. He said this spilled over into dealing with marginalized people in the north, Darfur, Blue Nile, Kordofan etc.
“They wanted to have autonomy within Sudan. Instead of Bashir talking to them, he is fighting them. I don’t know why Bashir is making this mistake of making a new South Sudan in the North. This second provocation must be resolved,” he said.
On the oil transit fees, the President called for a scientifically defined method of determining the oil fees, saying the vagueness on the matter is the source of the problem
The President denied claims that Uganda supports rebels fighting Sudan,describing them as absolute rubbish.
“We are not supporting freedom fighters in South Sudan. Other than them passing through our country once in awhile, we have never given them any military training or supplied them with arms.
He called for EU support for capacity building in South Sudan
On the discovery of oil in Kenya,President Museveni said it was very good that Kenya had discovered oil, adding that this will help the region to be energy sufficient and that with more money generated, it would be able to do many things.
The Austrian Ambassador Simone Knapp commended President Yoweri Museveni for promoting the East African Community, adding that the EU supports the President in uniting the region. She however wanted to know the political integration of the EAC and Uganda’s vision and whether Uganda supported the return of Eritrea to IGAD.
President Museveni said the EAC treaty aims at economic and political integration to become one country with less presidents and more power for the people. He said the political federation had received huge support in all the East African countries except in Tanzania which is against fast tracking.
“It will improve the geo-security of our people. We have powerful nations coming up like China,India etc, how can we guarantee our future? We cannot do it the way we are now.I have not discussed this with President Salva Kirr because he has been busy with his own problems. If South Sudan joins the EAC, they will decide on either joining the political federation on just the economic one,” he said.
President Museveni said he was in support of the idea for Eritrea to return to IGAD, saying the region should help solve whatever problems they have, adding that, Uganda is friends of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The German Ambassador Klaus Dieter Duxmann commended Uganda for its economic growth and said the UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon has selected Uganda as one of the countries to host a pilot project on a new initiative to make sustainable energy universally available. The initiative aims at enhancing the energy investment climate in countries to increase the likelihood of investments from the private sector.
The Ireland ambassador to Uganda Ann Webster hailed Uganda for the good investment atmosphere and the strengthening of the budget process. She also sought a clarification on whether the revised finance bill will apply to all revenues,including oil revenues. She called for wider consultations before the tabling of the petroleum act.
The Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development Maria Kiwanuka who also attended the meeting, assured the donors that the revised finance bill makes it very clear that on issues of oil revenues. All oil revenues will go either to the Petroleum holding account which will go to the consolidated fund or the Petroleum Reserve account for infrastructure and inter-general access.
“All oil revenue earning will be used for infrastructure development,”she said.
On the high population growth in Uganda, the President said that the high population rates are as a result of backwardness, adding however that through education more people are joining the middle class and having fewer children and that the high population will fade out with society metamorphosis to middle class society.
On the high government expenditure and administrative expenses,President Museveni said this is a dilemma because they are dealing with three things mainly; Growth and development; Emancipation of peoples and democratization.
“The demands of emancipation are very high. When the colonialists left,we had only 16 districts, now we have 102. People want government near them.Can it be balanced to a situation where administration infrastructure is in harmony with the expectations of the people? Can you postpone emancipation/ can you have administration side by side with emancipation and democracy? When there was no democracy, we didn’t have these demands of districts. Being an accountant in the era of liberation is not being a leader,” he said.
On the environment, President Museveni said there are three things including the global angle of the green house gases that blanket the atmosphere while in Africa, the lack of electricity has led to cutting down of trees for firewood while primitive agriculture practices have led to environmental degradation. He said with electricity, more industries will come up and people will shift from agriculture to industrialization.
The President urged development partners to support Uganda in drawing up a strategy of reclaiming swampland and restore wetlands.
On why he has not appointed the IGG, President Yoweri Museveni said he was being cautious in appointing the IGG.
“This is a war. I have not appointed the IGG because I don’t want a game warden who is a poacher. When you make random appointments, it can be problematic,” he said.
The President said the judiciary appointing people on EC and IGG is part of the problem because many of the judges have been through the system since Amins time and are there just for survival.
“It is not easy to get real soldiers of fighting corruption. A lot of charlatans are going up and down in your embassies pushing for this. These people don’t have any integrity. Corruption fight needs integrity. There are some young people in their late thirties and mid forties now. There is a little catchment area in as far as integrity is concerned,” he said.
The donors commended the President for accepting to join transparency international and called for a Trans-African conference network on infrastructure to be held in Uganda in October as part of the country’s 5oth anniversary celebrations.
The meeting was also attended by the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem, That of Internal Affairs, Hillary Onek and the Attorney General Peter Nyombi.
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