Museveni defends his stay in power

Local News — 20 February 2012

President Yoweri Museveni has defended his long stay in power saying that it has helped him to learn many things and he is now an expert in governance.

The President who was the chief guest at the launching of the Great Lakes University of Kisumu Education Trust Fund told his audience that many African problems are a result of lack of proper research and wrong advice from outsiders. He gave the example of power shortages in Uganda which have adversely affected the economy.

President Museveni said that he had identified the problem in 1986 when he took over power, that Uganda needed to construct its own dams to produce enough cheap power for its growing economy. This, he said was opposed by the international financiers plunging the country into a big power shortage.

He said that instead of using cheap hydro power which costs 3 U.S. cents the country is using diesel power that costs 23 U.S. cents per unit which is 9 times higher.

He advised universities to avoid courses without national and international demand adding that this hurts parents and students because they cannot find jobs in the market. Mr. Museveni said that it is for this reason that he has directed the Ministry of Education to provide correct guidance in Uganda so that parents and students can choose courses that are demanded by the market.

President Museveni advised them to follow the University’s’ name to ensure there is regional integration because it is the one that will insure the region and Africa against foreign interventions.

He donated US$100,000 adding that such a regional oriented institution should be supported to grow.

The Kenyan Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Raila Odinga saluted the President for accepting the invitation and for promoting the University and the spirit of the East African Community.

Prime Minister Odinga commended efforts by the private sector to promote human resource in the region. “We need to continue with efforts towards regional integration. Makerere University contributed a lot to educating the leaders of the region such as Mwalimu Nyerere, Benjamin Mkapa and Mwai Kibaki among others,” he said. He was happy to note that Uganda is Kenya’s biggest trading partner and looked forward to having the region’s political federation.

The Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki who was represented by the Minister for Provincial administration and Internal Security Prof. George Saitoti said that Kenya has intensified efforts in promoting Higher Education. He said that the government has granted licenses to seven private Universities during the past five years.

Minister Saitoti hailed Uganda’s education system noting that the Pearl of Africa has played a critical role in the development of education for Kenyans.