Highlights of the State of Nation address

By Apollo Mubiru 

President Yoweri Museveni has delivered the State of Nation address to Parliament.

The address was held at Serena Kampala Hotel. Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga invited the President to address the nation at 3:10pm.

Ina attendance included; Chief justice Benjamin Odoki, Vice President Edward Ssekandi , Frist Lady Janet Museveni, ministers, MPs, foreign dignitaries, senior civil servants and the business community among others.   

The address opened the next Parliament session to pave way for reading of the budget speech next week.

The ninth Parliament has been on recess following completion of its first year in session. The term of office of the current Parliament commenced May 16, 2011 with the administration of oaths to legislators. MPs elected the Speaker and Deputy Speaker on May 19, 2011.

In last year’s state of the nation address Museveni promised to tackle corruption, improve the infrastructure in the country. Part of the promises like improving electricity supply have been met, some promises remain unfulfilled.

The Ugandan economy was expected to grow by 6.6 per cent for the whole of the Financial Year 2010/11, with forecast for future years exceeding 7 per cent per annum but economy slowed down to 5.6%.

Highlights

• Ugandans have manufactured a car have processed banana and other products which must be given priority in funding.
   
• Emphasized the need for a better and well maintained infrastructure backed by more power generation. He said although Uganda still lags behinds but some good strides have been made in the power industry.
   
• The President has given a hint into the next finacial year's budget which sais is about 7 trillion. He said the tarmacking of some major roads has been catered for in the 2012,13 budget to be presented nest week.
   
• 9 trillin shillings will be required to work on the 44 national roads, according to Uganda Natioanl Road Authority. 
  Some of them include Moroto-Muyembe, Kapchowra-Oswa,m Mpigi-Maddu, Rukungiri,Kihihi, Kanungu, Kanungu-Kishasha, Mukono-Nkojojeru.
   
• He boasted that he was delivering the State of the Nation address. "I am doing this because I am the President of Uganda and those of you who are not President should listen to me," he said amidst cheers.
   
• He said the clamer for a high pay for public servants is untimely. The correct thing to do now that Uganda has some money is to serve the many first.
   
• He said Uganda is not like Europe because many public servants have land in villages.
   
• There those who have been pushing for payrise, this not the right time. The President said If money was there, he would have increased the salary of Police Chief Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihur because has done a good jon for Uganda.
   
•   The core issues are defence and security, law and order, roads, railway, safe piped water, energy, science innovations, tourism and health.
   
•  The President said that poverty in Uganda has been partly caused by some people living beyond their means. He however revealed that his government trying to distribute factories accross the country but some oppostion leaders resist construction of factories in their respective localities.
   
• He said sixth Parlaiment made a mistake to sabotage Bujagali power generation. Uganda should have solved power cuts problem longtime ago. 
   
• He said Ugandan mostly politicains should not over weigh themselves. He said if he attracts investors are are sabbotaged, it Uganda which loses adding that they (investors) other countries to invest their money.
   
• He said all Ugandan leaders should learn to lobby for this country. Investors mean much more to Uganda's economy. If lobbying can be done to a a single bride, how about to investors?.
   
• The price of sugar and petroleum has gone. Prior to the emergence on China, Brazi.
   
• He congratulated the Parlaiment of Uganda for adminstering a political kiboko (whip) to opposition FDC in the just concluded EALA electiosn. "The egocentric thinking of Kizza Besigye and his group has been isolated by the all the able thinking Ugandans.
   
• He said its UPDF more strong than ever before.
   
• HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has gone down. Why should anybody get HIV today when all the information about its prevention are widely known.
   
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