US General praises Museveni’s vision
Former supreme commander of NATO forces, Gen Wesley Clark, addresses journalists in Kampala recently. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
KAMPALA.
A former General in the US army has said countries have to tread carefully with democracy because it is a “delicate balance” where governments have to simultaneously manoeuver between their interests and those of the people they represent.
“In very country democracy is a fragile flower, and you always behave to balance the needs of security, privacy and individual freedoms. And governments are responsible for doing that,” said Retired Gen Wesley Clark.
He was in Uganda early this week as part of his three-nation tour. He said the development course Uganda is taking is “impressive.” He also visited Kenya and Zambia for a meeting with President Edgar Langu.
In Uganda, he met with US Ambassador Scott DeLisi in Kampala and President Museveni at his country home in Rwakitura.
He described the President, with whom he first met in 2011, as a “good leader” who has a “vision for the country and emphasises continuity”.
“I am very supportive of the President. There are so many things he wants done and they all relate to better governance,” Gen Clark said.
However, when asked to comment on Museveni’s “vision” of seeking a fifth elective term in office in 2016 after 30 years in power, which has led to bad peer pressure among counterpart leaders in Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda, Gen Clark said his work is not “to make comparisons and assessments and what happens in these countries is a choice of the people”.
Gen Clark was army joint chief of staff and supreme allied commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces during intervention in the 1997-2000 genocide in Central Europe.
Prior to commanding the NATO contingent in Kosovo, Gen Clark had served in the Vietnam War from 1969 to the 1970’s and thereafter was promoted and served in several offices behind the desk. He later commanded a division responsible for deploying in Kuwait during the 1990 Gulf War, and later to the Balkans.
Gen Clark is now a motivational speaker and serves on boards of several companies which he said might open shop in Uganda.
He lauded Uganda’s role in brokering peace and fighting terrorism in the region.
