Gulu-President Yoweri Museveni has assured Ugandans that the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) is a strong force that is time tested and that has secured the country and guaranteed peace and stability for decades. He said that the force is not a dictatorship and needs to be led by a clear-headed political leadership to safeguard the country and cement national unity and stability.
Speaking yesterday afternoon shortly after officiating at the commissioning of the Gulu-Atiak-Nimule road in Gulu Municipality, President Museveni who is in Northern Uganda on a four day working tour to promote the Operation Wealth Creation Campaign, urged citizens to value their electoral power, vote wisely and vote the right leadership that will guide the UPDF to perform their duties and ensure national security that will propel national development.
The road which has been upgraded and tarmacked from Gulu to the Ugandan – South Sudan boarder of Nimule cost the government Shs89billion and was funded by a loan from the World Bank.
The President said that the National Resistance Movement inherited a failed state in 1986 characterized by insecurity and total economic breakdown and developed formidable state institutions that have guaranteed peace, security and economic development of the country overtime. He appealed to Ugandans to support the time tested leadership of the Movement government to guarantee the brighter future of Uganda.
“We have built a strong army but it’s not a dictatorship and needs a well founded and clear headed leadership to be sure that the country’s future is safe. Even if you have a strong army without clear political leadership you can’t guarantee national peace and transformation therefore value your vote because it counts,” he said.
The President who equated a weak government to a “body infected with the HIV virus” stressed that to bring about total peace in all corners of Uganda, it took the wise decision by the National Resistance Movement to invest heavily in strengthening the army that in turn defeated the Lord’s Resistance Army, Allied Democratic forces and disarmed the Karimajong cattle rustlers.
“We took a leadership decision to strengthen the army against the wishes of many other players because we had realized that insecurity was bred out of the weaknesses in the army and by 2003 we had defeated Kony and you can see the development taking place in Northern Uganda. We have totally defeated Allied democratic forces and arrested their leader Jamil Mukulu who should tell us why they have been killing Ugandans and they can never attack Uganda because they will pay a heavy price” he said.
The President urged Ugandans to be mindful of the leaders the leaders they elect and urged them to make good use of the peace and the excellent infrastructures such as the good roads and work to get themselves out of poverty especially through commercial agriculture.
He noted that because the economy is doing well and the tax base has widen and with more revenue expected from the oil production government will do her part and give more support to Ugandans but noted that citizens needed to wake up and play their part in this wealth creation drive and get out poverty.
The President said that the National Resistance Movement believes in working as opposed to politicking and urged leaders in northern Uganda to join hands with government and develop their region instead of opposing every project and program that is initiated by government.
“Factories are good for the development of your region through generation of employment and being markets of what you produce but it surprises me when politicians oppose every investor I invite here” he said.
The Minister for Disaster Preparedness Engineer Hillary Onek commended President Museveni for standing with the people of northern Uganda in times of war, insecurity and in peaceful days of development.
“Mr. President you are our true friend because you have always been here even at times when no leader would go beyond Karuma Bridge and you continue to be with us as we rehabilitate and develop our motherland and we don’t take you for granted” he said.
