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EASTER CELEBRATIONS

RWAKITURA - In his Easter message to the nation, President Yoweri Museveni has emphasised the importance of emulating the teachings of Jesus Christ in fostering unity and combatting corruption in Uganda.

Speaking from his residence in Rwakitura alongside the First Lady Janet Museveni, the President conveyed his wishes for a joyous Easter celebration to all Ugandans, particularly the youth.

Reflecting on the sermons delivered during Good Friday services, he commended religious leaders for echoing the fundamental Christian commandments of love for God and one's neighbour, which he said align with the principles of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Addressing the scourge of corruption, President Museveni underscored the government's commitment to combating the vice while urging citizens to hold their elected leaders accountable through the existing local governance structures.

He emphasized the role of religious leaders in addressing societal challenges, including wealth creation and property fragmentation, calling for a unified message to support government initiatives.
The President also announced an audit of the NRM's wealth-creation activities in Rwakitura and Kisozi.

The President’s Easter message in full

Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu,

Greetings. Congratulations on the Good Friday and I wish you a happy Easter (amahiimbuuka). 

I am in Rwakyitura with Maama and, later, we shall go to Kisozi to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death but also to audit and augment the NRM work among the Wanainchi in the battle for wealth creation in all the homesteads of Uganda. 

While here, I was very happy to watch the good sermons on Good Friday given by the Christian preachers (Bishops and others), around the theme of the “Way of the Cross”. I was glad to hear all the preachers talking of the greatest Christian commandments being two. Those are: “Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

Praised be the Lord to hear that message being proclaimed by all the preachers, universally. That has been the position of the NRM ever since 1965. Indeed, that is why we chased religious leaders (Army chaplains) out of the NRA–UPDF. Many of the preachers were preaching the ungodly message of sectarianism of religion and tribe and gender chauvinism.

It is good to hear the new message. Indeed, we have been saluting the religious leaders of Uganda for forming the inter-religious council in the year 2001 to bring together all the religious faith of the Country. Keep it up and uproot completely the ungodly practices of sectarianism. 

I was very happy to hear the religious leaders’ message of condemning corruption. Keep it up. The corrupt are parasites that delay and undermine our transformation efforts. 

However, I would like to inform the religious leaders that from the very beginning, the NRM was conscious of this problem. Indeed, in the 1960s, I was involved in fighting the corruption of the chiefs, the teachers misusing (defiling) school girls, vets and medical staff stealing government drugs, etc. 

That is why, in addition to the administrative government structures of District Commissioner (DC), County chief, Gombolola chief, Muruka chief, etc., we empowered the People, the victims of the corruption most of the time because the money and resources stolen are meant for them, or they are forced to pay bribes, by giving them power to elect their own leaders to be the Nyamparas (overseers) of what the Government People (the administrators) are doing in their area- good or bad.
 
Why did we create the positions of LC V, Councillors, LC-3, LC-2 and LC-1s when we already had the DC, the Saza chief, the Gombolola chiefs and the Muruka Chief?  Part of the problem is that this anti-corruption weapon is not used.  If the elected people have become corrupt, why don’t the voters hold them accountable?  The religious leaders could take an interest in this.  

The anti-corruption weapon is available in each locality.  Use it.  The RDCs that are selected by the President, should be the activists in checking what the CAOs, the Vets, the medical staff, the extension workers, etc., are doing.  If they are not, it is the responsibility for the Ministry of the Presidency to inform me and I remove them.  I do not have to talk about the MPs.  That is part of their mandate.

Land grabbing is part of the corruption.  The land grabbing is not happening on the moon.  It is happening in a village, a parish, a sub-county, a constituency, a district, etc.  There are structures – administrative, popular (elected), political (RDCs), security (DISOs, GISOs, etc.), and religious.  All these have information that could help in these problems.

The religious leaders could also look at the issue of wealth creation and talk about it. It is not godly to have People who do not work and remain poor.  The NRM formula for wealth creation is very well elaborated.  Some of the religious leaders are actively involved in wealth creation.  Bishop Ahimbisiibwe of South Ankole has set a good example with coffee.  Bishop Rubaramira of Kabaale has set a good example with tea, although the prices of tea have come down recently.  Arch-Bishop Odama has done a good job with cassava.  The religious leaders could join us in passing out a harmonized message.

Then there is the danger of property fragmentation by the children following the death of the parents.  This mistake in many parts of Uganda has now created an LWD (land with disability) situation.  In some areas they can no longer produce food, the fact that some of those areas are the most fertile on Earth, notwithstanding.  The NRM always carries the burden of rescuing the families of Ugandans from poverty.  That is why we are always talking about home income and Education for all.

We are auditing our wealth creation activities in Rwakyitura and Kisozi.  We shall join you in Kampala later.  We shall report in detail about the audit.

Signed:
YOWERI K. MUSEVENI
THE OLD MAN WITH A HAT