Museveni blasts environmentalists
Jan 05, 2009
President Yoweri Museveni has blasted environmentalists who tried to sabotage the palm oil project in Kalangala district on pretext of protecting butterflies.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
President Yoweri Museveni has blasted environmentalists who tried to sabotage the palm oil project in Kalangala district on pretext of protecting butterflies.
“I invited the investors (BIDCO) to start this project here though some people wanted to block it because they wanted to protect butterflies instead of development. But butterflies can go and live elsewhere,†Museveni said.
He said the palm tree growing project had led to development in the area and was saving East Africa from importing oil.
Museveni was addressing residents of Kalangala on Sunday during campaigns for the NRM flag-bearer in the Bujjumba county by-election, Fred Badda.
He made stopovers at Kibanga Primary School in Kalangala Town Council, Mugoye sub-county headquarters and Mulabana landing site.
Museveni thanked the residents for embracing the project. “There are only three places in East Africa that can grow palm oil trees. These are Kalangala, Bundibugyo and Burundi. Palm oil trees are an additional cash crop from which Ugandans earn a living and save the Government money in importing oil.â€
Museveni added that many people are also employed during the harvesting season, including over 700 out-growers who earned a living from the project.
Badda is contesting against Herman Kakooza (DP) and Prof. Muyanda Mutebi (Independent) in the poll slated for Wednesday. Court nullified Badda’s election citing malpractices.
Museveni attacked independent candidates, saying they should be treated like deserters and be ignored. He said Mutebi was a joker who had no following, adding that politics was not for jokers.
Museveni denied selling Lake Victoria to foreigners, saying the rumours were spread by rivals whom he threatened to drag to court for telling lies against him.
He also warned fishermen against catching young fish, saying they would deplete the lake. Museveni said East African countries had passed a law requiring fishermen to register their boats for easy management of the lake, but promised to revise the sh150,000 fees that boat owners were asked to pay.
“This is not another tax. Registering your boats is intended to enable the three countries to enforce fishing laws. Therefore, nobody has chased you away from the lake as our rivals keep on saying. Registration will benefit you by preventing fishermen from other countries from encroaching on our water,†he said.
He warned fishermen against using canoes and urged law enforcers to maintain the ban, saying using canoes was risky to their lives.
Museveni said he invited investors from Iceland who invested over $7m in modernising landing sites in the district.
He pledged that the Government would subsidise power supply in Kalangala Town Council because the thermal power generation project he launched in 2006 stalled due to low consumption and high cost of maintaining it.
On easing transport to the main Bugaggala island, Museveni pledged to provide another ferry to ease transport between Bukakkata and Bugoma.
He, however, warned ferry operators against charging passengers, saying the ferry belongs to the Government.
He said the Movement Government transformed Kalangala into a developed area with schools, health centres, clean water, electricity and modern landing sites and asked people to thank it by voting its flag bearer to steer further development.
“We send you sh4b every financial year for developmental programmes though the population is still low,†he said.
President Yoweri Museveni has blasted environmentalists who tried to sabotage the palm oil project in Kalangala district on pretext of protecting butterflies.
“I invited the investors (BIDCO) to start this project here though some people wanted to block it because they wanted to protect butterflies instead of development. But butterflies can go and live elsewhere,†Museveni said.
He said the palm tree growing project had led to development in the area and was saving East Africa from importing oil.
Museveni was addressing residents of Kalangala on Sunday during campaigns for the NRM flag-bearer in the Bujjumba county by-election, Fred Badda.
He made stopovers at Kibanga Primary School in Kalangala Town Council, Mugoye sub-county headquarters and Mulabana landing site.
Museveni thanked the residents for embracing the project. “There are only three places in East Africa that can grow palm oil trees. These are Kalangala, Bundibugyo and Burundi. Palm oil trees are an additional cash crop from which Ugandans earn a living and save the Government money in importing oil.â€
Museveni added that many people are also employed during the harvesting season, including over 700 out-growers who earned a living from the project.
Badda is contesting against Herman Kakooza (DP) and Prof. Muyanda Mutebi (Independent) in the poll slated for Wednesday. Court nullified Badda’s election citing malpractices.
Museveni attacked independent candidates, saying they should be treated like deserters and be ignored. He said Mutebi was a joker who had no following, adding that politics was not for jokers.
Museveni denied selling Lake Victoria to foreigners, saying the rumours were spread by rivals whom he threatened to drag to court for telling lies against him.
He also warned fishermen against catching young fish, saying they would deplete the lake. Museveni said East African countries had passed a law requiring fishermen to register their boats for easy management of the lake, but promised to revise the sh150,000 fees that boat owners were asked to pay.
“This is not another tax. Registering your boats is intended to enable the three countries to enforce fishing laws. Therefore, nobody has chased you away from the lake as our rivals keep on saying. Registration will benefit you by preventing fishermen from other countries from encroaching on our water,†he said.
He warned fishermen against using canoes and urged law enforcers to maintain the ban, saying using canoes was risky to their lives.
Museveni said he invited investors from Iceland who invested over $7m in modernising landing sites in the district.
He pledged that the Government would subsidise power supply in Kalangala Town Council because the thermal power generation project he launched in 2006 stalled due to low consumption and high cost of maintaining it.
On easing transport to the main Bugaggala island, Museveni pledged to provide another ferry to ease transport between Bukakkata and Bugoma.
He, however, warned ferry operators against charging passengers, saying the ferry belongs to the Government.
He said the Movement Government transformed Kalangala into a developed area with schools, health centres, clean water, electricity and modern landing sites and asked people to thank it by voting its flag bearer to steer further development.
“We send you sh4b every financial year for developmental programmes though the population is still low,†he said.