NEWS– President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has warned the organisers of next week’s anti corruption march to drop their plans or they will face it rough.
President Museveni issued the stern warning while addressing the nation July 20th 2024, after activists vowed to March to Parliament on Tuesday July 23rd to show discontent over corruption in the August House.
The organisers of the planned protests have been mobilising the members of the public to join them and march in all major cities and towns across the country.
“Some elements, especially the opposition are working with foreigners to ferment chaos in Uganda with illegal and inconsiderate processions. They should check themselves or we will have no alternative but to check them,” President Museveni said.
President Museveni said it is very wrong and foolish for some people to want to destroy what has been achieved by what he called “wealth creators”.
“When you hear people talking of demonstrations, when you do it in a place like Kampala where people are selling on the roadside, are you going to step in their products? You are playing. Don’t have such ideas in your head.” The President warned.
The President advised the organisers of the planned demonstrations to make use of Kololo Independence Grounds and hold their protests from there and on a day like Sunday which is not busy because they cant be allowed to tramp upon people’s property in the name of protests.
Meanwhile President Museveni has backed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) ongoing evictions against encroachers in wetlands around the country and said it is only foolish people can destroy wetlands by encroaching on them.
“Those claiming they were born in the encroached wetland areas should be aware that we have records tracing the history of forests and wetlands. We know what exactly happened and when,” Museveni said.
President Museveni said that no one should blame NEMA that it allowed people settle in the wetlands and this doesn’t exonerate the encroachers.
“Are you a Uganda or from Europe? It is the duty of everyone to protect the environment.” President Museveni noted.
National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), has for the past one month intensified operations against encroachers in wetlands and started with Lubigi where several property, including houses were razed down and the operations against wetland encroachers have extended to other parts of the country, although some sections of the public have blamed NEMA for these evictions.
While addressing the media last night, President Museveni insisted that NEMA is doing the right thing, noting that those asking for compensation should not waste time, as no one can be compensated for encroaching on wetlands.
“All the people in the wetlands, please leave peacefully. We cannot compensate you for breaking the law and not using common sense.” He said.
The President took his time to explain to Ugandans the benefits of wetlands, noting that destroying them could turn the country into a dry land.
“Wetlands are source of 40% of our rain and if you remove them, the whole of Uganda will be like Karamoja or worse. Where will the water come from if you have dried the wetlands? The water is from these wetlands. Swamps are also natural filters of water that goes into lakes. The swamp grasses are God made filters but now we are busy destroying them. We cant allow this.” President Museveni explained.
The President said that when the wetland is destroyed, the citizens are denied water for domestic use and for other important purposes like irrigation and therefore, destroying wetlands will not be allowed as leaders sit and watch.
