Museveni Blasts Mps On LC3 Papers

PRESIDENT Museveni has criticised MPs who are pushing to raise the minimum qualifications for LC3 chairmen to at least an 'O'level certificate. Alfred Wasike reports that Museveni accused the MPs of having a "hidden agenda to alienate the Movement government from wananchi." Parliament is debating an amendment Bill to the Local Government Act. Museveni was addressing a large crowd of soccer lovers who filled the Nakivubo stadium. The President had just scored a goal in a match between FM station workers and local artists. "I oppose those MPs who are trying to alienate the Movement government from wananchi by raising the minimum requirements for LC3 chairmen," he said as the fans shouted, "No change." Still wearing his yellow, black and red football trunks, he said, "Most of our people are still badly educated so these MPs can't be so insensitive as to leave them out of government." "Wait when they bring the Bill to me, I will oppose it because it is anti-people. They think that they are so high that they don't listen to wananchi. They have given people like Sebaggala a chance to accuse Museveni of not supporting the uneducated. This is unacceptable." He said the human body needs ordinary food and sports for nourishment while the human spirit needs religion and music. "But the human brain needs education and that is why we have invested so much money into education especially UPE. This has only been possible because our tax collections have increased," he said. He reiterated his directive that youth being assessed for the first time and taxpayers with weak incomes must paysh3,000 graduated tax while 60-year-olds with frail income be exempted from the tax which has generated controversy. Ends