President Museveni’s speech at Parliament today met many topical issues but also left out a number of issues that Ugandans would have wished to hear a pronouncement on.
The elephant in the room as President Museveni came to address the country through parliament was the iron sheets and the goats that were meant for the people of Karamoja but were diverted by several ministers in his cabinet.
There was a frantic mood at Kololo ceremonial grounds as many voices within the audience heckled “iron sheets: demanding President Museveni to speak about the matter but he seemed to avoid the matter.
“If there are other matters let that be referred and we discuss them privately,” President Museveni said before he ended his speech in what many people have said was almost unceremonious.
The matter of iron sheets has been a top public debate for more than three weeks now since stories sprang up that several government officials including the ministers of Karamoja sub-region had diverted irons and other relief items to their items.
Reports indicated that during the last cabinet meeting at State House, Museveni had been tough and wondered why those implicated in the saga had not yet been arrested.
This afternoon’s speech, however, depicted different as President Museveni either eluded the topic or gave the due process of the ongoing investigation, chance.
Article 101 clause (2) of the Ugandan Constitution states that, “The President may, also, in consultation with the Speaker, address Parliament from time to time, on any matter of national importance.”
During the address, the president recognized the death of the 3,672 people that passed during Covid19 Corona, the 55 that were killed by Ebola, those that were buried in the landslides and the students that died in a fatal accident in Kasaka Senior School.
In His speech Mr. President highly emphasized the issue of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and said “I have started touring and inspecting the 18 zones of uganda: masaka, Mengo Luwero, Mpigi, Mubende, Ankole, Kigezi, Busoga, Bunyoro, Tseso, Ankole Sebei and they (wanawinki) told me about the Parasites that were swarming around the PDM and Emyoga money. I will follow up about the threat attempt of stealing of the PDM and Emyoga money, if they temper with the money, they will pay and will be an example to the rest,” Museveni threatened those seeking to steal the OPM and Emyoga money.
NRM has sent the money (200 billion in the last 2 financial years) and those who eat that money it is Toxic you will get problems from me Museveni added.
On the Emyoga and the PDM Mr. Museveni added saying that He would be touring two zones every month and people will listen to him on how to make good money in a small area with products that have got a national, regional and internal demand.
“Am here, am not dead, am not a story, am here I led people without money, I led them to fight not to eat matooke I led them to fight and die but for a good cause, the people need patient sensitization and not bureaucracy, let’s take time and convince the people to cause social economic transformation”
“PDM will deal with commercial Agriculture by producing raw materials, anyone who will mess up, we will also mess them up and we shall educate the people until they understand,” Museveni concluded on the issue of the Emyoga and the PDM.
It shall be noted that amidst the presidential address to the parliament, opposition members decided to boycott the sitting ushered by Medard Lubega Sseggona of the National Unity Platform.
“Mr. Museveni is addressing them (parliament) illegitimately for as long as he holds political prisoners especially those from the opposition unlawfully in known and unknown places of detention, we believe a law like many other right seeking members do that Mr. Museveni is detaining those people as prisoners of conscience, we opposed him, we went to the ballot with him defeated him, he rigged the vote therefore he is doing all that to defuse what he perceives as tension arising out of his criminal act.” Sseggona said while talking to the media.
