The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Museveni asks African countries to solve continent’s security problems. ‘We can defend Africa if we act together and act right’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT, URN & PSCU | President Museveni has asked African leaders to think about solving the security threats that several African countries face.
In his address after taking oath for the sixth term, Museveni argued that the situation in several African countries that include Libya, Mali, Niger, some parts of Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, some parts of Cameroon, Eastern Congo, Somalia Northern Mozambique “does not give credit to the African people.”
“We can defend Africa if we act together and act right,” he said. Museveni often likes talking about the overthrow of Libya President Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011 by NATO. Museveni criticized the West for destabilizing the country. (CLICK TO READ FULL SPEECH)
Museveni made yet another startling revelation on Libya. Museveni said that he had contacted former South Africa President Jacob Zuma proposing an African army that would intervene in Libya to confront and teach a lesson to those aggressors.
But Museveni says, they were let down by Muammar Gaddaffi who abandoned Tripoli without a fight before his proposal could materialize.
“We had to work out a solution for the aircraft and cruise missiles that attack defenceless people from far away so that if the aggressors so wished, could come on the ground and we fight man to man,” he revealed.
He argued that western actors bypassing the African Union, should not be acceptable when it comes to dangerous strategic African issues.
Museveni said that Africa should learn that the huge concomitant suffering of the Africans in Libya and the surrounding countries have proven that western military intervention in Africa is not a solution to Africa’s security problems.
Museveni also urged leaders to learn that Africa integration on the economic and, where possible, political integration is a sine qua non of the success for Africa if Africans are to “address the issue of the prosperity of our people and strategic security of Africa.”
He commended the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), a common market initiative of the whole of Africa that came into force at the start of this year and the confederation of East Africa states as good projects that should yield dividends for the continent.
There is an ongoing process of drafting the East African Community political federation constitution. The committee drafting the constitution is chaired by former Uganda Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki, who has promised that the draft constitution will be ready in two years, in time for the proposed implementation of the confederation model by 2023.
EAC chairperson Kenyatta joins inauguration celebrations
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday joined several other African Heads of State at the inauguration of President Museveni in Kampala, Uganda.
President Kenyatta, who is the current Chairperson of the East African Community, was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs), Peter Munya (Agriculture) and James Macharia (Infrastructure).
Presidents Felix Tshisekedi (DR Congo), Alpha Conde (Guinea), Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), Hague Geingob (Namibia) and Nana Akufo Addo (Ghana) attended the ceremony held at Kololo Independence Grounds in central Kampala.
Others were Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Mohamed Abdullahi Faarmajo (Somalia), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia).
In his inauguration address, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said Uganda had transitioned from a country of deficits to an economy of surpluses in agricultural production and manufacturing during his tenure.
“In 1986, Uganda was a land of shortages, no sugar, no soap, no paraffin, no textile, no salt, no sodas, no beer, no petrol etc. With limited waking up of sections of the population, Uganda now is a country of surpluses,” he said.
The Ugandan leader thanked President Kenyatta and other regional Heads of State for opening up their markets to Ugandan exports including sugar and maize surpluses.
At the same time, President Museveni castigated unnamed foreign powers for continuing to lecture African countries on good governance saying some of them don’t mean well for the continent.
“It is quite comical to hear some people giving us lectures about democracy. Giving us a lecture about democracy, what are your credentials? If you want to know what we are doing in a respectful way we shall show you, but no lectures,” President Museveni advised.
