The State of Uganda: Museveni Gives Speech to Parliament
President Museveni gave the State of the Union speech yesterday to Parliament. Daily Monitor.
Yesterday, President Museveni gave a two-hour State of the Union address to the government’s eighth Parliament, describing Uganda’s growth in the past year, elections next year, and the country’s road ahead. The Daily Monitor reported on June 3, 2010.
Some highlights:
-President Museveni said elections would take place as scheduled next year, despite calls by the opposition to potentially boycott the polls if there is not a leadership change at the Electoral Commission. Museveni defended the Electoral Commission’s chief Baddru Kiggundu, and said he was a “consensus” candidate when appointed in 2002, supported by opposition and the NRM.
-Uganda’s economy grew at a rate of 8.3 percent last year, and tax revenue rose to $2.5 billion USD, up from $3.5 million when President Museveni’s regime took over in 1986. The president said he would focus the budget’s priorities on expanding the national power grid, building and repairing the road infrastructure, and rebuild the country’s referral hospitals. Last year, the average Ugandan earned $540 last year (sh1,080,000).
-The president warned donors not to get involved in Uganda’s elections next year, and urged opposition leaders to work out grievances within Uganda, rather than with countries that finance Uganda’s budget. “We do not need help on elections. Elections are a simple exercise,” President Museveni said. ”Africa does not need lectures on what we fought for.” The U.S. Congress sent a directive to the U.S. State Department to closely monitor Uganda’s elections next year earlier this year, after approving $70.6 million in development assistance.
Opposition responds
Norbert Mao responded to President Museveni's speech.
New Vision reported that opposition leaders criticized President Museveni for attacking Uganda’s donors, and argued that his state of the Union speech did not emphasize corruption enough. ”He considers us weak because he does not want to leave power,” said Democratic Party candidate Norbert Mao, after the speech. ”He accuses us of being irrational yet our demands are reasonable. The Electoral Commission is not neutral.”
“We never said the elections will not be there,” said Ken Lukyamuzi, candidate for the Conservative Party, responding to President Museveni’s defense of Baddru Kiggundu. ”However, we are entitled to free and fair elections.”
Want more? Read our favorite blogger Uganda Insomniac’s live-blogging the State of the Union on twitter here.
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Kudos!! to the president that Uganda’s tax revenue is increasing and to the people of Uganda who work hard so that government increases both it’s tax base and revenue. I however think it’s a little disingenuous for government to go to the West for funds for the elections and after ask them not to “interfere” in the elections. He who pays the piper…besides to what extent do they interfere. Our leaders should become used to public scrutiny even in Africa.
[...] U.S. have put increasing pressure on Uganda to have fair and transparent elections, triggering a backlash from President Museveni, who criticized donors in his recent State of the Union address, urging them to focus less on [...]