By Frank Kamuntu
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni defended the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon.Anita Annet Among against those attacking her on social media over alleged corruption and irrational expenditure of Parliament.
For weeks now, the Speaker has been in the limelight over alleged misappropriation of funds by Parliament. This has been done through social media under the hashtag Uganda Parliament Exhibition.
“I have been hearing some people attacking her and other MPs. These young MPs, most of them are learners, they come from the university and because of democracy, they are elected. Sometimes, they may be excited, get loans and get into debts. Sometimes they make other mistakes but within the NRM, we always get together and see how we help out people and help them out of the mistakes they may be involved in,” President Museveni said.
The President made the remarks today while addressing the residents of Bukedea at Emokor Grounds. The address came hot on the heels of his commissioning of Bukedea Teaching Hospital and College of Health Sciences in Bukedea District. The hospital was built by Rt. Hon. Among, who is also the Bukedea District Woman Member of Parliament.
H.E Museveni explained that the real problem Uganda has are the traitors who work for foreigners but not the Speaker or Members of Parliament.
“It is the traitors who are working for foreigners. Those are the real traitors. They are not mistake makers, they are not learners who need advice, they are outright traitors. First of all they are working for foreigners but moreover working for bad types of foreigners like homosexuals and imperialists who want Africans to be slaves again,” he stressed.
The President further revealed that he was monitoring through the intelligence to see what has been going on regarding the social media attacks against Rt. Hon. Among.
“How can you talk so much on social media about Anita Among, how about those working for foreigners? We are going to expose those traitors,” he assured.
The President also thanked the Speaker for working closely with the whole government system, a thing he said has helped to hinder standoffs.
“I really want to salute Anita Among, whatever she may want to know I will tell her because we are all here, we all live here you don’t need to put her on social media, that means there’s something wrong with you,”he said.
On the other hand, President Museveni reiterated his call to Ugandans to get involved in food security and income-generating activities in order to improve their livelihoods.
“I have held very many meetings with MPs and I have always emphasised household incomes and when I meet them again I will emphasise accountability. Like in Kisozi and Rwakitura where I have farms, I made it clear that I don’t want to be neighbours with poor people. That is why I guide them to be prosperous because I want to go to heaven,”he said.
“I really don’t want to passby a home which is not involved in food security and income generating activities like growing citrus, coffee and other things that bring money to the family,”he added.
The President also explained that the government of Uganda has put up a number of initiatives like Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, Parish Development Model and Emyooga to drive poverty out of Uganda and free education for all in government schools to get everyone out of ignorance.
He noted that the Shs100m per parish PDM money, if well utilised, can help to elevate 100 households per year.
“If you strictly follow what we tell you, from Shs100m, you will handle 100 families each year and in 5 years you will handle 500 families. Remember this money is growing because it is your money we are not going to take it back to the government. Don’t think that you are not going to pay back, you will have to pay back to your SACCO which will be your own bank. In 5 years, it will grow to Shs500m. If you add the interest it will grow more,” the President urged.
” These homestead incomes come from four sectors; commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services like boda bodas, hotels and all that, and sector four is ICT. Leaders make sure that you explain to the people on how they can come in to generate incomes. Those who don’t have land, we have organised Emyooga like metal works, carpentry, shoe making, boda bodas, baking and so on.”
The President also turned down the request to create another constituency in Bukedea. Saying it is not wise. This had been proposed by the Bukedea District LC5 Chairperson, Ms. Mary Akol.
“We should slow down, the Parliament would be so big,” he advised.
The President further warned Ugandans against environmental degradation saying it is the reason why the world is facing the huge impact of climate change.
“In a peaceful way, I want us to agree that we will reorganise ourselves. I want to introduce fish farming by using ponds and stop rice growing in swamps. We shall get water to irrigate on the ground. We are talking of commercial agriculture which will in the end lead to irrigation. We should not dry the swamps.”
Earlier on, the President commissioned Bukedea Teaching Hospital and College of Health Sciences, a health facility situated in Bukedea District.
The hospital, built by Rt. Hon. Among opened doors for its first patients on 15th January,2024.
During the commissioning, President Museveni commended the Speaker of Parliament for being a very active and innovative cadre who aims at transforming the lives of Ugandans through constructive projects.
“I’m very happy to be here and I want to congratulate my daughter for being such an active young person. First it was a school and now a hospital,” he said.
The President also revealed that when he arrived at the facility, he briefly interrogated the Speaker on the source of income which she used to set up such a magnificent facility.
“She is very active and innovative but also listens to parents. When we were there I was interrogating her where she gets the money from then she reminded me that I supported her with the money for the school. I said okay if I supported the school how about this one here because I don’t want my children to be in debts and corruption? She told me at the school they charge fees and it’s that money they used to build the teaching hospital,” he said.
“She has given me a quick accountability here. I’m really happy. I want to congratulate her for being active and careful. At the medical school she offers free medical care to pregnant mothers and children and the men pay, that is a very good initiative.”
President Museveni also commended Rt. Hon. Among for changing the landscape of the area, explaining that prior, the place was a market but he ordered the local government to give the Speaker land so that she can add value to it.
“She has changed the landscape here and created employment for many.This is an innovative and imaginative young person using innovative ways to solve problems.”
The President further commissioned the Gen. MK Block at Bukedea Comprehensive School, a facility also owned by Speaker Among. The school has over 2,000 learners.
“She offers quality education which is very much sought after. She taps children supported by NGOs and they are the ones who are here. She is a good planner because the money she gets from here is the one she used to set up a hospital which provides quality health care.”
At the same function, Anita Foundation gave President Museveni several gifts like cows in recognition of his steady leadership.
On her part, Rt. Hon. Among thanked President Museveni for supporting and keeping her dreams alive. She said the President supported her financially to set up Bukedea Comprehensive School in memory of her late father.
“That school is out of you, Your Excellency. As of today we have 2,000 students in that school. We have a vocational and teaching school and now we have a hospital. The hospital has come out of the secondary school and I want to thank you for all your support,” the Speaker said.
“Because of the support you gave to us as Anita Foundation, we have been able to ensure that that hospital supports the community and because it supports the community that leads us to the money economy. We are treating people for free using the money we get from the school.”
Speaker Among also thanked President Museveni for appointing Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
“Your Excellency, thank you for being the father of this nation, without you I don’t know where this country would be.”
The Minister of State for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu on behalf of the First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports, Mama Janet Museveni, said the commissioning of Bukedea Teaching Hospital was one of the fruits of President Museveni’s vision of focusing more on sciences to socially and economically transform Uganda.
She also extended sincere appreciation to the Speaker for her investment in the education sector that builds capacity for the young people to become health workers and join the critical health workers force, vital for the transformation of the country’s health sector.
“We pledge our total support to ensure that Bukedea Teaching Hospital reaches greater heights.”
The Minister of State for Health (General Duties), Hon. Anita Kawooya said developing Bukedea Teaching Hospital is a great milestone to the people in the Teso sub-region since it contributes to the improvement of healthcare in the area.
“I also want to congratulate Rt. Hon. Anita Among for being a visionary leader who always follows President Museveni’s guidance to ensure transformation of Ugandans. This facility is another added vital infrastructure in improving the health sector in the country,” Hon. Kawooya said.
The NRM National Vice Chairperson-Eastern Uganda, Capt. Mike Mukula informed the President that Bukedea has been able to achieve this milestone because he gave it a district as well as an opportunity for able leaders like Rt. Hon. Among who work towards transforming the lives of the people they serve.
“Your Excellency, I would like to assure you that the Rt. Hon. Anita Among is the number one Cadre of NRM in Parliament and number one game changer of the political dynamics of this country,” Capt. Mukula noted.
The Bukedea District LC5 Chairperson, Ms. Mary Akol thanked President Museveni for commissioning the facility, saying that it remains a foundation stone for the socio-economic transformation of the country.
“Your Excellency, we are happy as Bukedea for all the support you have given to our daughter Anita Among. That facility is not for Rt. Hon. Speaker but it serves the whole region and Uganda at large.”
The event was also attended by the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, Rt.Hon Rukia Nakadama, Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, the Minister of State for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, Members of Parliament, and Cultural and religious leaders, among others.
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