Museveni tells off donors on 2016 poll

Kampala.

President Museveni told off donor countries that are in the habit of criticising his government and the conduct of the February 18 presidential elections to mind their own business.

“I don’t like foreigners giving me orders on Uganda. Uganda is ours,” President Museveni said at a victory party held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in central Kampala at the weekend. “If we were to accept orders, Uganda would not be where it is today. In 1971, they told us to support Amin,” Mr Museveni said without naming any country. “These people should leave us and concentrate on solving their problems.”

The European Union election observer team and the US have criticised the government, saying the elections did not meet international standards.

The United States’ Permanent Representative to the UN, Ms Samantha Power last month described President Museveni as a risk to Uganda’s future stability due to his government’s repressive behaviour.
Speaking to the 15-member UN Security Council discussing Great Lakes region, Ms Power stated: “President Museveni’s actions contravene the rule of law and jeopardise Uganda’s democratic progress, threatening Uganda’s future stability and prosperity.”

Elections critisised
Last week, the US Ambassador to Uganda also criticised the manner in which the presidential elections were conducted. “The social media shutdown, the detention of Opposition figures, harassment of media - all of these things combined with poor organisation of the election have weakened Uganda’s democracy and tarnished Uganda’s image as a strong democracy in a turbulent region.”

During the victory celebrations at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Kampala last Saturday, President Museveni, however, mocked the Opposition for claiming that he benefited from a rigged presidential election, saying his opponents are just weak and sleepy. “If you are saying you were rigged at the presidential level, how come you lost parliamentary, district and sub-county elections? How can they cheat you three million votes? Did you have agents? Did you have a political party? That means you are in a slumber,” Mr Museveni said as his supporters, cheered.

He also claimed that most of the votes that were counted invalid by the election officials were mainly NRM votes.

“When I hear those saying they won, may be they want to perform a miracle like Jesus turned water into wine. It is funny. And you know about 500,000 votes, mainly ours, were classified as invalid yet they were not.”

The President warned public servants against laxity, promising that the next five-years of his presidential term, that will make him president for 35-years, he will purge public service and weed out non-performers.

Mr Museveni also told Ugandans not to worry about the current insecurity in Rwenzori region, which has claimed lives of civilians, policemen and soldiers.
At least 40 people have been killed in the attacks in the two districts but have escalated to a security crisis.
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