I Would Join Anti Corruption Protests If It Was A Patriotic, Peaceful Demonstration-President Museveni
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised the Security Forces as well as the Wanainchi, for foiling and not participating in the Tuesday 23rd July, anti-corruption march to Parliament.
The President, noted that if the activists followed the law and was a patriotic march and peaceful demostration , he would have been the first to join them.
"Indeed, in the year 2019, Nakalema organized us and we marched from the city Square through Kampala Road to Jinja Road and went to Kololo. So many people were there- Bishops, Soldiers, Wanainchi, etc. I thought that Nakalema had timed a Sunday because there was neither traffic, nor pedestrians on the road. Nakalema has now told me, that it was a Wednesday, the 4th of December, 2019, but that they had organized with the police to block traffic for some hours".The president Said
The demonstradtion had two bad elements which included being funded by foreign sources that are always meddling in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years through slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc.
He warned that those involved should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those "shallow schemes" can be deployed. "The second element, was that some of the authors and participants of the demonstrations, were planning very bad things against the people of Uganda.
Those very bad things will come out in court when those arrested are being tried. It is possible, that some of the participants, did not know of the planned foreign funding and the planned bad things. That is why, they should have listened to the police advice, not to go on with the demonstration. But they rubbished the police advice," President Museveni said in a statement issued today.
That part of Kampala is, besides, lightly populated except during the day-light hours. Nakalema can co-ordinate with the genuine anti-corruption fighters for a similar effort, especially on a Sunday. It was not correct for Nakalema to use a working day," he said.
"In particular, the heavily populated suburbs of our cities – Kawempe, Bwaise, etc. should never be used for demonstration, because they will damage the little wealth creation that our people are painstakingly building up.
Kololo ceremonial grounds, is being repaired now. When the work is finished, Nakalema should organize us. I will be there." He also advised that those being funded by foreigners, should stop and report to the Minister of State for Ethics, those that have been funding them.
"We shall not arrest them. In any case, we know a lot about the goings on in those groups. Our interest is to immunize Uganda against the schemes of the imperialists and their agents," he said. "The planners of Tuesday’s demonstration, however, were not bothered with such issues.
I politely advised them a few days ago, in my address to the Nation. They, obviously, thought that my advice was of no consequence. Please, Ugandans avoid these mistake makers. The evidence in court will shock many. As I said, above, the planners of these demonstrations wanted to do very bad things.
The charge by the Police of “idle and disorderly”, I suspect, was used because the deployed personnel did not have all the information. This was a high-quality, intelligence-led operation. I have most of the information." President Museveni further explained that next week, he will make a broadcast and discuss more on the issue. "I praise the Lord that there was no blood-shed on Tuesday.
The fight against corruption, is in my hands. I just need evidence and action will be taken," the President asserted. "The accounting officers are the guardians of Gov’t money, procurement and personnel (jobs, welfare).
They let us and themselves down. I am now leading this little war. We fought the bigger war. We shall win this one also."
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