The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
To stress the importance of large markets, Museveni cited the example of China which by 1978 had a GDP of $218 billion but has shot up to $11,202 billion now after it opened up to the rest of the world.
“What has stimulated this? Chinese leaders realised that a big internal market alone was not enough, they had to trade with other countries.”
Are we secure?
Alongside prosperity, the continent must ask if it is secure, added Museveni.
“If we become prosperous, are we secure? You can be prosperous but not secure. How can Africa ensure strategic security?” he asked.
He pointed out that the first victims of the World War 2 were the prosperous but weak countries like Holland, Belgium and France.
“Prosperity, therefore, does not always guarantee security. What then is the strategic security anchor for Africa? If we get problems, who will stand for us?”
This question, he said, is what is pushing the quest for both political and economic integration to achieve strategic security.
“We are convinced that without political federation of East Africa, we have no strong individual country to anchor East Africa,” he said.
The push for an economic federation, he noted, had also bore fruits of prosperity, citing Uganda’s excess 1.2 billion litres of milk and three million tonnes of maize that are consumed by its neighbours.
Uganda’s President Museveni addressing journalists after his meeting with Pres. Buhari, he thanks Mr. President and ?? for the hospitality. pic.twitter.com/rar1rJJcCX
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 15, 2017
Federating, said Museveni, was also key in negotiating with third parties for markets, as EAC can front its 170 million people as a factor for fair trade.
The President also encouraged Africans to preserve their culture and avoid misusing human resources by pushing for identity above interests.
Happy birthday!
Before commencing the lecture, the class congratulated Museveni on his 73rd birthday, which happened Friday, singing him a birthday song.
The commandant of the college, Rear Admiral AA Osinowo and Nigeria’s Defence Minister Mansur Muhammed Dan Ali also presented Museveni with a birthday gift of a bust (a sculpture of President Museveni).
Presidential luncheon
After the lecture, Museveni, First Lady Janet and their delegation which included Uganda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nelson Ocheger, were hosted to a luncheon by President Muhammadu Buhari.
At the luncheon, Museveni said that the two countries would presently strengthen their relationships through collaborations in institutions like the National Defence College.
In the long run, President Museveni noted, trade and bilateral relations would become even stronger once Uganda establishes an airline and begins plying the West African route.
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ABUJA: President Museveni, First Lady Janet in #Nigeria https://t.co/9YgCbdqNuJ pic.twitter.com/KgVp0Fc0V9
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) September 15, 2017
“Giving a synopsis of Africa’s political and economic problems, Museveni said poor political organisation was to blame.”
“In the last 500 years, Africa has gone down. It has suffered all manner of afflictions, slave trade, colonialism, genocide, marginalisation, diseases,” he said.
He should know. He is presiding over and perpetuating the very situation/circumstances that he says was the cause of Africa’s downfall. Talk about the kettle calling the pot black. Does M7 bother to listen to himself?
Offering an answer, Uganda’s President Museveni said, “The problem was poor political organisation. Colonialists found us badly organised—as tribes, clans, a segmented society. It was easy to attack us one by one. We were at a disadvantage—of inadequate political integration.”
Consider how M7 has used divide and rule to entrench his power base. How can he justify, on an international platform, the use an argument against the colonialist that he is now employing. Some might argue that this is not surprising given his suspect origins as a Rwandese and therefore de facto a coloniser of Uganda. It is bad enough that he makes speeches in Uganda that make right thinking Ugandans cringe. But to take this stupidity and arrogance to the international stage is a completely different ball game. The whole world must be laughing at how stupid Ugandans are to have allowed themselves to be subjugated to such a level that they now not only accept the unacceptable but have normalised it.