NRM is not sectarian – President Museveni tells Makerere university students

President Museveni has asked Ugandans to borrow a leaf from the NRM principles in order to attain development. While speaking at Makerere University during the NRM Sub-County conference,  Uganda Head of State advised Ugandans not to be divided along identity ties such as tribe and religion.

He noted that division along such ties was the case with colonial masters in Uganda and most political parties such as Democratic Party,  Kabaka Yekka,  UPC that failed to succeed.

ECONOMIC GROWTH: The president noted of how  NRM has led to development in the country since 1986. He said that Uganda’s GDP at the time he came to power was at 1.5 billion dollars and his government only managed to collect 5 billion shillings then.

“Currently government collects over 12 trillion and the GDP is at 28 billion dollars, ” said the president.

It’s upon this reflection that the president said budget allocation and priotisatisation favors the key sectors in Roads,  Electricity, Railway,  Education, Health and defence and therefore may not be able to meet demands for the increase in salaries.

NRM PRINCIPLES: The president reminded Makerere University students of the four core NRM principles; patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic transformation and democracy.

He noted that patriotism means believing in Uganda and eliminating social identities. He used the example of using trade across identity boarders to increase development.

About Pan-Africanism, Museveni said some products such as wheat and coffee are exported to increase market and income. He also pointed on how Ugandans have penetrated the Sudan market.
The president said ties such as those in Somalia have led to its division. He thus advised Ugandans to look at substance not identities.

“It’s not about color but content,  NRM looks at substance and it’s because of that substance that we don’t have sectanarism,” said Museveni.

The president on Socio-economic transformation asked Ugandans to stop traditional ways of life and embrace modernization.

“Me and my family members are members of the middle class,  my parents were the last traditional farmers,” He said.

He added that Uganda doesn’t have peasants since the term peasants meant those who didn’t own land.  He observed that such ‘nonsense’ were people don’t own land is in the Buganda Kingdom like the then peasants in Europe.

“All of us should get out of the traditional culture through the use of factors such as education and integration that will lead to modernization, ” he said.

The president said the principle of democracy was the easiest to achieve since it involved ideas such as elections.

BALA ASKS FOR SECURITY: Makerere University Guild President, Bala David Bwiruka used the moment to remind the president of how Makerere was faced with the challenge of security reminding the president of his plea to build a perimeter wall fence. He also asked the President to consider increasing the salaries of staff just as he did for lecturers.

The president promised through the ministry of education to provide the 5 billion shillings required to erect the perimeter wall fence around the University.

The chief organizer,  Professor Peter Baguma,  the chairman NRM Makerere asked the President to introduce cadre training for public officials and NRM flag bearers.

KAGONYERA APPEALS FOR FAIR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: Professor Mondo Kagonyera,  the Makerere University Chancellor appealed to government to stop making wrong decisions when carrying out constitutional amendments.  He said the current amendments are works of selfish individuals seeking power but do not represent the interest of Ugandans.