OUGANDA: 10 ‘fundamental’ quotes of Museveni

“No one should think that what is happening today is a mere change of guard; it is a fundamental change in the politics of our country.”

Swearing in address, Jan. 29, 1986

“We went to the bush to oppose murder, tribalism and any other form of sectarianism. In the NRM we ruthlessly oppose tribalism and the use of religion in political matters.”

Address to elders in Gulu, March 12, 1986

“We shall effect fundamental changes so that our economy serves the interests of the majority, rather than a minority of our people, as has been the case in the past.”

Address on the first anniversary of NRM, Jan. 26, 1987.

“…the NRM government is committed to ning up Ugandan society of corruption…The punishments for selfish and illegal actions must be serious enough to act as a deterrent for would-be offenders. We also believe that one of the measures of fighting this malaise is by showing a good example to those we lead.”

Address to permanent secretaries at a seminar in Jinja, February 12, 1990

“The major problem in this country is that the guardians themselves have to be guarded. We require, at all levels, a leadership that has the moral authority to lead. The leadership cannot have that authority if they themselves are tainted with corruption.”

Address on the 5th anniversary of the NRM Administration, January 26, 1991.

“It is very sad that most people do not regard social property as their own. If I do not own a car but there is a public bus available, will it not serve me? But if you think that the bus should be driven recklessly and that you should only care about little, personal cars, that is backwardness. I think we should try to develop our social consciousness and realize that social property is, in many case, even more important than private property. If you build a good house but the water department is not run properly, can you build your own private water works?

Address to permanent secretaries at a seminar in Jinja, February 12, 1990

“I am convinced of the correctness of our handling of the economic, security and political matters in our country. My worry, however, is in connection with the corruption of our public officials. How can we hope to convince anyone of the rightness of our cause if our own people are violating our own stated goals, thereby undermining our programmes? Corruption is a cancer which, if it is not checked, will hinder progress in all sectors of society.”

Address on the state opening of the 4th Session of the NRC, April 30, 1990.

“One of the biggest weakening factors in Africa is tribalism and other forms of sectarianism. While in other continents you find different nations living and working together under cohesive political entities which are powerful, however diverse they are, in African, tribalism is always emphasized. Look at the United States of America or the countries of Western Europe that have now formed the EEC. In African, however, we encourage unprincipled divisions. In fact, Samora Machel once described tribalism as the commander-in-chief of the anti-African forces.”

January 26, 1987 NRA anniversary

“I am very proud to see that one of my long-held wishes—to see the emergence in Uganda of a measure of national political consensus—is at last beginning to be realized. I call upon all to rise to the challenge of the young men and women of the NRA and the masses of the NRM who, through sweat and blood, ushered in a new political order that will act as a stimulant to the sustained development of our nation.”

Address at the state opening of the first session of the National Resistance Council, April 11, 1989

“By 1991, six million people in sub-Saharan Africa are estimated to have been infected by HIV. Why is it that AIDS in Africa seems to be travelling on a good macadamized road? AIDS is fast becoming a disease of backwardness, like all the other diseases we have. While AIDS is the pre-eminent public health threat of our time, socio-economic factors crucial in the transmission of the disease, and other STDs, have deep historical roots in Africa.

Address to the first AIDS congress in East and Central Africa, Kampala, November 20, 1991

Source: Daily Monitor, Posted Wednesday, January 26 2011 at 15:04