Museveni praises French for toppling king, ending wrongs

Toast to friendship. Prime minister Ruhakana Rugundu toasts with the Ambassador of France to Uganda, Ms Stefanie Rivola, during the Bastille Day in Kampala. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • President Museveni, a self-professed admirer of history has always uttered publicly his admiration for freedom-fighting groups particularly those that stood against bad governments, sectarianism, and corruption.
  • In 1980 Mr Museveni took to the bush and waged a five-year guerilla war against the governments Apollo Milton Obote and Gen Tito Okello military junta.

KAMPALA. President Museveni at the weekend commended the French forefathers who ignited the 1789 revolution that midwifed the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity leading to the modern day France.
In the speech delivered by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda at the French national Bastille Day on Saturday, Mr Museveni said “the courage of your forefathers who rejected the injustices occasioned by the absolute monarchy” culminated into a better France.

“They endured over 10 years of a protracted revolution inspired by liberal and radical ideals to establish a republic that served the interests of all,” he said.
The storming of Bastille, a medieval fortress in Paris which represented the despotic monarch, on July 14, was one of the key highlights of the French Revolution that inspired several uprisings across Europe against feudal and corrupt monarchies.

President Museveni, a self-professed admirer of history has always uttered publicly his admiration for freedom-fighting groups particularly those that stood against bad governments, sectarianism, and corruption.
In 1980 Mr Museveni took to the bush and waged a five-year guerilla war against the governments Apollo Milton Obote and Gen Tito Okello military junta. He eventually captured power in 1986, promised a fundamental revolution, scorned leaders who over stay in power, and derided his predecessors for all sorts of ills.

The President described relations between Uganda and France as “historic and continue to develop both in scope and depth over the years” since establishment of bilateral relations.
“We have established and will continue to maintain significant interactions at all levels including in the economic, political and cultural fields,” he said.

Investment

Urged. The President commended the French for supporting Uganda in areas of peace and security and Foreign Direct Investment, among others but called upon the French private sector to partake of opportunities in other sectors of the economy.