LIBYA: Museveni speaks out on Gadaffi assault

President Museveni (right), Mubajje and other Muslims chatting during the dinner on Saturday PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has attacked European powers under NATO over the way they handled the Libyan crisis. “Although Gadaffi had his own problems which I always criticised, Europeans have got more problems. Europeans are fond of regarding everybody as a fool except themselves,” Museveni remarked. He said while the African Union (AU) had advised the European powers on how to proceed, they did not listen. Referring to the AU crisis meeting on Libya which ended in Ethiopia on Friday, Museveni said Africa was out to defend its interests. “Slowly, we are coalescing our position. Africa is strong enough to stand up. We told the United Nations that we want dialogue in Libya and cessation of hostilities. Other people were pushing for another position but Africa’s roadmap, which we worked out in March, is the best way,” Museveni said. He made the remarks on Saturday while hosting over 900 members of the Muslim community to the annual iftar dinner at State House in Entebbe. In attendance were gender minister Syda Bbumba, Electoral Commission chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu, NRM vice-chairman Al Hajj Moses Kigongo and the Uganda Human Rights Commission chief Medi Kaggwa. Also present were diplomats from Syria and Libya. President Museveni recalled a time when he had a disagreement with Gadaffi over mobilising Ugandan traditional leaders without involving him (Museveni). “We cancelled it and you remember I warned our chiefs,” he said. Museveni asked the Ugandan Muslim community to pray for the Libyans who are suffering in the ongoing war. He noted that Libyans under their leader, Col. Muammar Gadaffi, had supported Ugandan Muslims, including building a mosque at Old Kampala. The President said rising commodity prices was a boom and particularly good for rural farmers and industrialists, but bad for urban dwellers and salaried employees. The Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Mubajje, called for an end to bloodshed in Libya as well as other Arab countries of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt and Yemen. He commended Museveni for his role in the AU High Level ad hoc committee tasked with ending the Libyan crisis. Mubajje asked Museveni to increase the Muslim community’s budget and address the increase in commodity prices. He suggested that one way of addressing the debate over Mabira Forest giveaway was to support sugar cane outgrowers, which would also address household poverty. Sheikh Sulaiman Kakeeto, the head of the Tabliq Muslim community, blamed the ongoing economic crises around the world on man’s disobedience of Allah’s commands. Source: Newvision, Monday, 29th August, 2011 Author: Raymond Baguma