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Museveni takes ‘Bazukulu’ on sectarian claims in army, government
KAMPALA: President Yoweri Museveni has asked those claiming army is sectarian to stop the ‘nonsense’.
President Museveni Thursday took to social media to respond to Bazukulu ahead of NRM primary elections happening on Friday.
Sectarianism in Army
On people going around claiming the army is sectarian, the President blasted: “Coming to the Armed Forces, my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense.”
Museveni stated: “The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism.”
He said: “If you are not working for the enemy, you cannot go on the social-media and demand that we publish the names of the personnel of UPDF, their ranks, and their jobs.”
Museveni went on: “The only thing we can say and what you know is that recruitment into the Police and UPDF is by quota.”
He charged: “Beyond that, leave our Army alone and I mean, leave our Army alone. Also preaching sectarianism on the media (social and otherwise) should stop.”
Museveni warned: “Although I am always ready to explain, also remember that such false allegations, carelessly or maliciously made, are criminal.”
Banyankole in Public service
On Banyankole in public service, the President explained: “Why and how would those Banyankore dominate the Public Service where the Public Service Commission was last held by a Westerner, the late Mzee Bikangaga from 1979 to 1990.”
He said: “Although, of course, I have not yet studied that diversion from addressing the 4 sectors of wealth and jobs that I always tell you about Commercial Agriculture, Industry, Services, and ICT.”
Museveni revealed: “Since that time, the Public service Commission has been headed by Zikusooka, a Musoga, Muzaale, a Musoga, Ralph Ochan, an Acholi, and the membership is always balanced.”
He added: “The Education Service Commission was headed by Waggwa Lubega for a long time. The current chairperson of the Education Service Commission is Sam Luboga, a Musoga. The Chairperson of the Health Service Commission is Dr. Pius Okong, a “munyankore” from Teso.”
The President said: “The leaders of those commissions mentioned above are all very highly qualified people in their fields. If they recruit only Banyankore, those Banyankore must be exceptionally gifted. We shall get to the bottom of this nonsense.”
Solution
Museveni tipped: “One of the ways to solve the problem of surplus production is to struggle for the deeper integration of the East African markets and not to talk of tribalism.”
He explained: “It is because of that realization that the different communities support one another by buying the products or using the services of one another.”
Museveni stated: “Producers prosper because of the purchasing power of Ugandans, East Africans, etc. I am prosperous because the People of Uganda buy my beef (bullocks) and my milk. The Arcade owners and other shop owners in Kampala have been prosperous because you buy their products.”
The President narrated: “Our pockets make those Arcade and shop owners prosperous by us buying their products. The only problem has been that those shop owners were mainly selling foreign products that can be made here; thereby, sucking a lot of wealth and jobs from Uganda.”
Museveni noted: “Therefore, those who waste their time trying to find which Samia is from Kenya, which Mukonzo is from Congo, which Alur is from Congo, which Kakwa is from Congo or South Sudan, which Madi is from South Sudan, which Acholi is from South Sudan, which Karimojong is from S.Sudan.”
He added: “There are other clans like Bakurungu, Baturagara etc. who are said to originate from Omutara; then, the area near Katuna is occupied by Abakiga.”
The President said: “A follower identified as @MwoyoG declares how he is not against Banyankore but only against Banyarwanda like myself. He is also wondering whether Banyarwanda are an “Official” tribe of Uganda. First of all, I am not a Munyarwanda.”
Museveni explained: “Which Mugisu is from Kenya, which Munyankore or Rakaian is from Karagwe or Buhaya in Tanzania, are not part of our Pan-African vision. Since time immemorial, these peoples have always interacted in spite of the myopic chiefs that fomented wars among out people.”
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.