Museveni rejects populism, blasts opposition
Jun 09, 2011
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for orderly planning in the use of the country’s resources, stressing that the Government will not be stampeded into planning for populist causes that are not a priority.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for orderly planning in the use of the country’s resources, stressing that the Government will not be stampeded into planning for populist causes that are not a priority.
Click here to read Museveni's statement on budget day
Addressing MPs and other dignitaries after the reading of the 2011/12 budget yesterday, Museveni challenged the opposition to offer meaningful alternatives other than staging walk-outs.
He added that Uganda is one of the most democratic countries in the world.
“There is no way our economy can develop if we don’t begin with the foundation. Let us, therefore, use the money we are beginning to raise in a cool-headed manner to build the infrastructural foundation step by step. I want to discourage the stampede of “I want this and that in my area†for populist reasons,†he said.
Museveni said there are investments that have got cross-cutting benefits to all Ugandans which should be prioritised. “If we build Karuma, the 700 megawatts of electricity generated will benefit Kisoro as well, not only the people in that area. If we tarmac the Gulu-Nimule road, even cattle keepers in Isingiro will use it to access markets in Southern Sudan as much as the people of Gulu,†he said.
With Bujagali, Karuma, Ayago and Isimba dams, he added, factories built in Moroto, Kasese and Kabale districts will access cheap electricity and provide jobs, generate more taxes, produce more goods for exports, which will stop the Uganda shilling from depreciating.
Museveni chided Leader of Opposition Nandala Mafabi and “his group†for walking out on his State-of-the-Nation address. “ Mafabi and his group could not cope with my stamina. At exactly page 52, they ran away from the House to which the voters sent them,†he said, causing laughter.
He also listed rural electrification schemes in several districts another area that will be given priority.
He appealed to development partners like the European Union, which is working on the Mbarara-Masaka road; the World Bank working on Gulu-Atiak and Arua-Koboko-Oraba and the Japan International Cooperation Agency working on Atiak-Nimule road to continue their support.
The Government, he added, is going to implement free education for A-level and start preparing for student loans, besides planning for the restocking of the areas of Acholi, Lango and Teso.
“In order to supplement our resources, we shall continue talking with the World Bank, ADB, EU and the US to see if they are able to pick up some of our priority projects,†the President said.
Click here to read Museveni's statement on budget day
Addressing MPs and other dignitaries after the reading of the 2011/12 budget yesterday, Museveni challenged the opposition to offer meaningful alternatives other than staging walk-outs.
He added that Uganda is one of the most democratic countries in the world.
“There is no way our economy can develop if we don’t begin with the foundation. Let us, therefore, use the money we are beginning to raise in a cool-headed manner to build the infrastructural foundation step by step. I want to discourage the stampede of “I want this and that in my area†for populist reasons,†he said.
Museveni said there are investments that have got cross-cutting benefits to all Ugandans which should be prioritised. “If we build Karuma, the 700 megawatts of electricity generated will benefit Kisoro as well, not only the people in that area. If we tarmac the Gulu-Nimule road, even cattle keepers in Isingiro will use it to access markets in Southern Sudan as much as the people of Gulu,†he said.
With Bujagali, Karuma, Ayago and Isimba dams, he added, factories built in Moroto, Kasese and Kabale districts will access cheap electricity and provide jobs, generate more taxes, produce more goods for exports, which will stop the Uganda shilling from depreciating.
Museveni chided Leader of Opposition Nandala Mafabi and “his group†for walking out on his State-of-the-Nation address. “ Mafabi and his group could not cope with my stamina. At exactly page 52, they ran away from the House to which the voters sent them,†he said, causing laughter.
He also listed rural electrification schemes in several districts another area that will be given priority.
He appealed to development partners like the European Union, which is working on the Mbarara-Masaka road; the World Bank working on Gulu-Atiak and Arua-Koboko-Oraba and the Japan International Cooperation Agency working on Atiak-Nimule road to continue their support.
The Government, he added, is going to implement free education for A-level and start preparing for student loans, besides planning for the restocking of the areas of Acholi, Lango and Teso.
“In order to supplement our resources, we shall continue talking with the World Bank, ADB, EU and the US to see if they are able to pick up some of our priority projects,†the President said.