Museveni is an experienced leader - Ruto

Dec 10, 2015

Ruto hails Museveni leadership

Museveni is an experienced leader - Ruto

By Milton Olupot

THE Visiting Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto, yesterday dismissed speculation that he is in the country to campaign for President Yoweri Museveni, who is the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer.

"Museveni has been campaigning in Uganda for a long time and he has experience and sufficient knowledge on how to go about his campaign. I don't think he needs support from Kenya," he said yesterday at joint press conference with. President Museveni.

Ruto who was responding to questions from journalists over the timing of his visit, and whether it would not be misconstrued to be campaign for the incumbent candidate, and what interest he has in the Ugandan politics.

The interaction with the media was held at the newly constructed State Lodge on top of a hill in Kapchorwa Municipality. Museveni was in the Sebei region for the second day of his campaign trail.

 

"The Ugandan elections are for Ugandans, they know what they want and nobody can influence them," he said, but hastened to add, "But we value the peace and stability that President Museveni has championed not only in Uganda but in the region as a whole."

On his meeting with the NRM primary elections losers, the Kenyan Deputy president said being from one region, there is need to learn from each other, so being interested in what is going on in Uganda is a health thing to do. "We know the value of rallying people behind political parties, because you eliminate politics being regionalized, tribalised or based on religion. It should be around issues and manifestos," he said.

Ruto said his visit was an affirmation of the smooth working relationship between the two government and would facilitate discussion on the progress of some of the projects undertaken jointly, like the Standard Gauge railway which he said the works were already on from Mombasa to Nairobi, and the other bit from Nairobi-Naivasha to Malaba would soon start.

Responding to questions of reported frustration of Ugandan traders in their course of business in the neighboring country, and the controversial Ugandan sugar export to Kenya, Ruto, said, there is a concerted effort by the Kenyan and Ugandan governments to make sure that the regional trade flourishes.

"We can only share wealth, we cannot share poverty. The wealth of Kenya is the wealth of Uganda. Any policy that affects the people of Kenya affects people of Uganda, so we shall do all possible to make business smooth for all of us.

 Ruto defended the decision of the Kenyan government to allow Ugandan sugar imports into Kenya saying it will promote regional integration. He said the controversy was only being stirred by some people for cheap political capital.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga criticised the new deal, saying it could bring about the collapse of local millers.

Uganda produces about 465,000 tonnes of sugar annually against a consumption of 320,000 tonnes, leaving it with a 145,000-tonne surplus.

Kenya produces an average of 600,000 tonnes annually but consumes between 800,000 and 850,000 tonnes. That is a deficit of between 200,000 and 250,000 which must be offset by imports.

Asked about the delayed works of  the Standard Gauge railway on the Ugandan side, and reported issues of corruption that were dogging the project, President Museveni said the corruption issues were on the side of the bidders, and that he personally had to stop the contract ward because of corruption.

"The issue of corruption was actually to kick out the people who were giving bribes, I personally did it. Why do you give bribes, we can't allow bribery here we get you we kick you out," he said. 

 Museveni on the other hand called on the people of Sebei region to exploit the peace that has been restored after the Karimojong cattle rustlers were disarmed. He said Ugandan had also built a barracks at the border with Kenya so the Turkana and Pokot can no longer make raids into Uganda.

He described Sebei as a rich area with good climate where both agriculture and tourism can be exploited to generate income by the locals and government.  He said to facilitate this government was embarking on developing infrastructure like roads and electricity in the area.

The Mbale-Kapchorwa road, he said was done and now Government had acquired a loan from the African Development Bank (ADB) to build the Kapchorwa-Kuen-Bolewo road, he said the procurement for the contractor was already on.

He urged the local community not to interfere with the Elgon forest which he called the mother of the region. "You must preserve this forest, if it disappears then the region is finished," he said adding that all the rivers around, originate from there and feed into Lake kyoga.

He warned against suggestions by some quarters that part of the forest should be degazetted for the resettlement of the Benet, a tribe living within the forest. He also said Government would exploit the electricity power potential in the area that would produce up to 60 megawatts.

Museveni expressed excitement over the new Presidential mansion in the Kapchorwa hills. "The people here intimidated me into building a state lodge here. But I have liked it, I will be attracted to visit and live here more often so that I can take walks in the forests," a beaming Museveni said.



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