Museveni Speaks Out on Anti-Corruption Protest
By Stephen Wandera Ouma
ENTEBBE – President Yoweri Museveni has hailed the Police and the Uganda People’ Defense Force for foiling the anti-corruption protest on Tuesday he says is funded by foreigners to destabilise Uganda.
The protest, partially inspired by recent youth-led protests in neighbouring Kenya, saw participation from young Ugandans who had mobilized online. The protesters’ demands include the resignation of Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who had in February been named alongside other parliamentarians in a corruption exposé published on social media, and for the salaries of Ugandan parliamentarians, among the highest-paid in the world, to be reduced.
Police and the Uganda People’ Defence Forces responded to the protest with force, arresting dozens of people and hurriedly charging them in court with the colonial-era “common nuisance” offense, which the government has long misused to suppress legitimate demonstrations.
“I want to congratulate the Armed Forces and the Security Forces and the Wanainchi, for foiling or not participating in the bad demonstration that was planned for Tuesday. That demonstration had two bad elements. Element no.1, was funding from foreign sources that are always meddling in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years ─ slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc. All those involved should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those shallow schemes can be deployed,” he said in a press statement issued Thursday, July 25th, 2024.
Museveni said the protestors were planning to do bad things which he did not identify.
“However, those being funded by foreigners, should stop and report to the Minister of State for Ethics, those that have been funding them. We shall not arrest them. In any case, we know a lot about the goings on in those groups. Our interest is to immunize Uganda against the schemes
of the imperialists and their agents,” he said.
Adding, “The planners of Tuesday’s demonstration, however, were not bothered with such issues. I politely advised them a few days ago, in my address to the Nation. They, obviously, thought that my advice was of no consequence. Please, Ugandans avoid these mistake makers. The evidence in court will shock many. As I said, above, the planners of these demonstrations wanted to do very bad things. The charge by the
Police of “idle and disorderly”, I suspect, was used because the deployed personnel did not have all the information. This was a high-quality, intelligence-led operation. I have most of the information.
Next week, I will make a broadcast and discuss more on the issue. I praise the Lord that there was no blood-shed on Tuesday. The fight against corruption is in my hands. I just need evidence and action will be taken.”
STATEMENT BY H.E THE PRESIDENT ON THE RECENTLY
PLANNED DEMONSTRATION
Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazukulu.
Greetings. I want to congratulate the Armed Forces and the Security Forces and the Wanainchi, for foiling or not participating in the bad demonstration that was planned for Tuesday.
That demonstration had two bad elements. Element no.1, was funding from foreign sources that are always meddling in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years ─ slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc. All those involved should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those shallow schemes can be deployed.
The second element was that some of the authors and participants of the demonstrations were planning very bad things against the people of Uganda. Those very bad things will come out in court when those arrested are being tried. It is possible, that some of the participants, did not know of the planned foreign funding and the planned bad things.
That is why, they should have listened to the police advice, not to go on with the demonstration. But they rubbished the police advice.
Otherwise, if it was a patriotic, anti-corruption, peaceful demonstration, coordinated with the Police, I would have been the first to join. Indeed, in the year 2019, Nakalema organized us and we marched from the city Square through Kampala Road to Jinja Road and went to Kololo.
So many people were there- Bishops, Soldiers, Wanainchi, etc. I thought that Nakalema had timed a Sunday because there was neither traffic, nor pedestrians on the road. Nakalema has now told me, that it was a Wednesday, the 4th of December, 2019, but that they had organized with the police to block traffic for some hours. That part of Kampala is, besides, lightly populated except during the day-light hours. Nakalema can co-ordinate with the genuine anti-corruption fighters for a similar
effort, especially on a Sunday. It was not correct for Nakalema to use a working day. In particular, the heavily populated suburbs of our cities – Kawempe, Bwaise, etc. should never be used for demonstration, because they will damage the little wealth creation that our people are
painstakingly building up. Kololo ceremonial grounds, is being repaired now. When the work is finished, Nakalema should organize us. I will be there.
However, those being funded by foreigners, should stop and report to the Minister of State for Ethics, those that have been funding them. We shall not arrest them. In any case, we know a lot about the goings on in those groups. Our interest is to immunize Uganda against the schemes of the imperialists and their agents.
The planners of Tuesday’s demonstration, however, were not bothered with such issues. I politely advised them a few days ago, in my address to the Nation. They, obviously, thought that my advice was of no consequence. Please, Ugandans avoid these mistake makers. The evidence in court will shock many. As I said, above, the planners of these demonstrations wanted to do very bad things. The charge by the Police of “idle and disorderly”, I suspect, was used because the deployed personnel did not have all the information. This was a high- quality, intelligence-led operation. I have most of the information.
Next week, I will make a broadcast and discuss more on the issue. I praise the Lord that there was no blood-shed on Tuesday. The fight against corruption, is in my hands. I just need evidence and action will be taken.
The accounting officers are the guardians of Gov’t money, procurement and personnel (jobs, welfare). They let us and themselves down. I am now leading this little war. We fought the bigger war. We shall win this one also.
Signed:
YOWERI K. MUSEVENI (GEN RTD)
P R E S I D E N T
SSABALWANYI
