Museveni to protect patriotic teachers
Mar 18, 2009
President Yoweri Museveni has warned school heads against victimising teachers who teach patriotism.
By Cyprian Musoke
President Yoweri Museveni has warned school heads against victimising teachers who teach patriotism.
Museveni said such head teachers would meet “stiff resistance†from the Government.
Addressing teachers at the closure of a three-day workshop at Enro Hotel in Mityana on Monday, Museveni said the Constitution required every Ugandan to teach and practise patriotism.
In a memorandum read to the President by Aziri Kasozi, the teachers warned of sabotage and resistance to the programme by
rigid school administrators.
“I would like to dispel the fear that you would be persecuted by any authority, even in private schools, that you have participated in this programme. Anybody who does so would be making a big mistake and would meet my resistance,†Museveni said.
“I started this programme as President of Uganda, and the objectives in the Constitution are clear that every authority in Uganda must promote patriotism, including schools. So, if they have not been doing it, the least they can do is not to disrupt it,†he added.
However, Museveni warned the teachers against being undisciplined and crying persecution when administrative action is taken on them.
“I am not saying you should go to the bar and not teach; when disciplinary action is taken, you say you are being persecuted. As long as you are promoting patriotism, we shall protect you,†he stressed.
Museveni also told the teachers that the teaching of patriotism would be integrated into the school’s curriculum.
The seminar was attended by 139 teachers from Kiboga, Mubende and Mityana districts.
In their memorandum, the teachers also called for the lifting of the ban on recruitment of secondary school teachers and salary increment.
Museveni told them he would advocate for the removal of taxes on private schools, and increment of salaries for science teachers.
Turning to “the six commandments†of patriotism, Museveni urged Ugandans to love each other because they constitute a market and pay taxes that support each other.
Even the baby born yesterday, he emphasised, supports the adults in taxes from the products its parents buy.
“But some people don’t know this that is why they are talking in terms of tribes, religion and sectarianism. That is what we are trying to deal with,†the President stressed.
He also urged the teachers not to despise any Ugandan, saying even the drunk pay taxes.
“I don’t drink and don’t want people to drink, but those who drink are at the forefront of paying tax. For every bottle of beer they drink, there is a tax,†he explained.
Museveni gave an example of Rwanda and Burundi, where over one million people were killed in the 1994 genocide and former president, Idi Amin, who murdered many Ugandans and asked: “Why kill people who would have bought from you?â€
Museveni said in the bush war, he managed all people irrespective of their tribe or religion because he wanted their support.
“Some people were bringing in tribalism; I asked them, ‘do bullets know what tribe you are?’ If I was not clear ideologically I could easily have mismanaged this group,†he said.
The other five commandments, he continued, are love for East Africa to expand the market, love Africa, the environment, social transformation and love for oneself in order not to waste away.
“You see now I have finished my enemies- like Amin, LRA… because I don’t tire. Sometimes I keep quiet and they think I am tired only to see me resume,†he said.
There was brief commotion at the beginning of the function, when the Presidential Guard Brigade tried to block former minister and Buganda Prince Besweri Mulondo from entering the hall.
The President inquired why the guards were blocking an important personality without inquiring who he was.
He ordered them to let him in.
Mulondo handed Museveni a copy of his book, Ssemusota Guli Muntamu (the snake in the cooking pot).
President Yoweri Museveni has warned school heads against victimising teachers who teach patriotism.
Museveni said such head teachers would meet “stiff resistance†from the Government.
Addressing teachers at the closure of a three-day workshop at Enro Hotel in Mityana on Monday, Museveni said the Constitution required every Ugandan to teach and practise patriotism.
In a memorandum read to the President by Aziri Kasozi, the teachers warned of sabotage and resistance to the programme by
rigid school administrators.
“I would like to dispel the fear that you would be persecuted by any authority, even in private schools, that you have participated in this programme. Anybody who does so would be making a big mistake and would meet my resistance,†Museveni said.
“I started this programme as President of Uganda, and the objectives in the Constitution are clear that every authority in Uganda must promote patriotism, including schools. So, if they have not been doing it, the least they can do is not to disrupt it,†he added.
However, Museveni warned the teachers against being undisciplined and crying persecution when administrative action is taken on them.
“I am not saying you should go to the bar and not teach; when disciplinary action is taken, you say you are being persecuted. As long as you are promoting patriotism, we shall protect you,†he stressed.
Museveni also told the teachers that the teaching of patriotism would be integrated into the school’s curriculum.
The seminar was attended by 139 teachers from Kiboga, Mubende and Mityana districts.
In their memorandum, the teachers also called for the lifting of the ban on recruitment of secondary school teachers and salary increment.
Museveni told them he would advocate for the removal of taxes on private schools, and increment of salaries for science teachers.
Turning to “the six commandments†of patriotism, Museveni urged Ugandans to love each other because they constitute a market and pay taxes that support each other.
Even the baby born yesterday, he emphasised, supports the adults in taxes from the products its parents buy.
“But some people don’t know this that is why they are talking in terms of tribes, religion and sectarianism. That is what we are trying to deal with,†the President stressed.
He also urged the teachers not to despise any Ugandan, saying even the drunk pay taxes.
“I don’t drink and don’t want people to drink, but those who drink are at the forefront of paying tax. For every bottle of beer they drink, there is a tax,†he explained.
Museveni gave an example of Rwanda and Burundi, where over one million people were killed in the 1994 genocide and former president, Idi Amin, who murdered many Ugandans and asked: “Why kill people who would have bought from you?â€
Museveni said in the bush war, he managed all people irrespective of their tribe or religion because he wanted their support.
“Some people were bringing in tribalism; I asked them, ‘do bullets know what tribe you are?’ If I was not clear ideologically I could easily have mismanaged this group,†he said.
The other five commandments, he continued, are love for East Africa to expand the market, love Africa, the environment, social transformation and love for oneself in order not to waste away.
“You see now I have finished my enemies- like Amin, LRA… because I don’t tire. Sometimes I keep quiet and they think I am tired only to see me resume,†he said.
There was brief commotion at the beginning of the function, when the Presidential Guard Brigade tried to block former minister and Buganda Prince Besweri Mulondo from entering the hall.
The President inquired why the guards were blocking an important personality without inquiring who he was.
He ordered them to let him in.
Mulondo handed Museveni a copy of his book, Ssemusota Guli Muntamu (the snake in the cooking pot).