Support East African Federation, President tells UPDF

President Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has said in order to ensure prosperity, Africa must become one market under the spirit of Pan-Africanism.

Pan-Africanism is one of the four core principles of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), others being Patriotism, Socio- Economic Transformation and Democracy.

Addressing officer cadets of the 2019/2022 intake under refresher training at Kabamba Military Academy, Mr Museveni said some Ugandans have started engaging in commercial agriculture which has led to excess production that cannot be absorbed by the Ugandan market and at times East Africa.

“Now even patriotism is not enough because we have got excess production. With economic prosperity, Africa must become one market,” Mr Museveni said.

He added that although some of the past leaders in Africa were talking of  uniting all countries in Africa, which might not be possible for now, “we also talk of political integration of some of the areas that can be integrated like East Africa where we have so many things in common like the language (Swahili). Under East African Federation, we shall be bigger than India and that will guarantee strategic security. That’s why, politically, we support East African Federation.”

Mr Museveni said the main message of the NRM from the onset is to ensure prosperity and strategic security of Uganda, East Africa and beyond.

On prosperity, the President urged the officers to help further his gospel of commercial agriculture so that people have enough production for cash and home consumption.

“The message of NRM for your families is to engage in commercial agriculture with calculation. What does this mean? Because if you have got four acres and less of land for the family, there are things you might not do and get money like sugar cane growing on a small piece of land,” Mr Museveni said, adding that it is the only sure way of wealth creation and employment because government jobs are not enough for more than 40 million Ugandans.

The President also cautioned against sectarianism saying that it is the biggest enemy hindering prosperity, strategic security and socio-economic transformation.

He called on the officers to ensure protection of water catchment areas such as wetlands and swamps because these are critical in providing water for irrigation.