Gen Moses Ali gives Museveni 8 heifers

WEST NILE. A team of West Nile leaders led by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Gen Moses Ali, presented a raft of demands to President Museveni as they paid homage to mourn the President’s late father, Amos Kaguta.
The leaders donated eight heifers to the President, who jokingly said he would quarantine the animals until cleared by a veterinary doctor. Afterwards, Mr Museveni said he plans to open up a “West Nile kraal” for the donated livestock on his farm in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District.
A source who attended the meeting, said the President told the delegation that they would in future, return to the kraal to see “how their animals have multiplied.”
Gen Ali told Saturday Monitor yesterday that the gesture was in accordance with their culture.

“According to our culture, when we go for such functions (memorial prayers), we offer heifers. So each of the eight West Nile districts offered one. We are very happy that we honoured our culture and the President accepted our offer,” Gen Ali said.
Asked why they had chosen to pay the visit three years after the death of the President’s father, the four-star general said the call had been long overdue and that several other regional groups had been to Rwakitura and it was a turn for West Nile.
The journey to Rwakitura, undertaken two weeks ago, had MPs Margaret Baba Diri (Koboko Woman), Maureen Osoru (Arua Woman), Ibrahim Abiriga (Arua Municipality), Moses Angunduru (Terego West), Rose Ayaka Atima (Maracha Woman), Jackline Aol (Nebbi Woman), Alioni Odria (Aringa South), Tom Aza Alero (Moyo West) and Mark Angel Dulu (Adjumani East).

Others included religious leaders, Resident District Commissioners, and district chairpersons from the seven districts, among others.
Sources who attended the November 10 meeting have told this newspaper that the group was first treated to a tour of dairy farms in Ankole before they trooped to the President’s home at 5pm. Mr Museveni was not at home but joined the team after 6pm and headed to the grave of his father within his compound, where the prayers were held.

After the prayers, the President reportedly invited the delegation to a meeting where they discussed several issues.
It is said Gen Ali took the first shot, introducing each of the members in his entourage. He also brought to the attention of the President Maj Gen Mondo, who he said needed promotion, Mama Sarah, who he said was shot in Karamoja while on state duty, and Ahmed Adaku, who he said is a businessman and a very good NRM mobiliser in West Nile region.
Two months ago, security personnel in West Nile said some youth from Moyo, Yumbe and Adjumani districts were being recruited into rebel activities in South Sudan. This also followed abductions of about 25 youth from Yumbe and Moyo districts. Some of them have returned quietly to their villages, while others are reportedly still in captivity in various jungles of South Sudan.

The Adjumani District chairman, Mr James Leku, said they also presented to the President the issue of South Sudan refugees.
“We already have cases of South Sudanese wanting to buy huge chunks of land in Moyo and Adjumani. This poses a great security threat because some of them come as spies,” he said, adding that the President promised to make a follow-up.
The Zombo District chairman, Mr John Urwiny, said few students in the region were benefiting from State House scholarships and they wanted the President to make pronouncement on it.

Other issues

The leaders also tabled the pending issues of slow pace of upgrading of the Arua Airfield to international standards. They also said there was need to upgrade the airfields in Koch in Nebbi, Adjumani, Zeu, and Koboko which could be used for emergency landings. The leaders also requested Mr Museveni to buy a bus for Onduparaka Football Club, which they said was an identity for the region in promotion of sports, granting of the pending districts status of Terego, Madi Okollo and Obongi and special funding for the refugee hosting districts.

Not the first
Gifts. This is not the first time President Museveni is receiving cattle from a high-ranking official. In August 2011, he received 10 heads of cattle from his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.
The law. The President is usually expected to declare to the Inspector General of Government such offers.
The Leadership Code Act 2002 bars public officials, including the President, from keeping such gifts as private property to avoid patronage.

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