20100117
allafrica

Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has warned the opposition against plans to cause chaos during the 2011 elections, saying those who will try to do so will face dire consequences.

Museveni issued the warning on Saturday during two separate rallies in Mukono district. He was responding to a report by the district chairperson, Lukooya Mukoome, that the opposition was mobilising the youth in the area to cause havoc during the elections.

Mukoome asked for increased security following complaints from residents that opposition politicians were mobilising some youth to destabilise the elections.

But the President told the gathering not to fear any opposition militias.

"To beat up voters? This is illegal in Uganda," the president said amid applause from thousands of people who gathered at St. Andrews Primary School in Kisoga, Ntenjeru sub-county.

"Those planning to beat voters must know that they will be investigated and punished. NRM restored the rule of law. It is no longer possible for any person or group to destabilise Uganda and go scot-free."

The President added: "There is no more playing silly games in Uganda. It is no longer possible to kill people. Today, all arms of government, including the army and the Police, are performing well."

He advised the youth to disassociate themselves from violent elements and urged the opposition to talk peace instead of devising strategies for causing chaos. The President also warned opposition politicians against telling lies and abusing others.

Museveni reiterated that he would probe the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme and arrest corrupt officials.

He said NAADS officials took advantage when he concentrated on fighting Kony to swindle funds meant for agricultural modernisation and warned that it will not happen again.

Out of the sh35b the central Government disbursed to Mukono district this financial year, sh3b went to NAADS, Museveni was informed by the district chairperson.

When the gathering murmured that NAADS funds were dished out only to the rich, Museveni said he had ordered for a list of all beneficiaries in Mukono.

"They have given me the list. I am going to send my spies. I will investigate each of them. If these are ghost farmers, I will arrest the NAADS bosses and send them to the school of thieves (Luzira prison)."

NAADS, he directed, should stop giving money to the rich and instead help out those who are broke and are members with savings and credit cooperative organisations (SACCOS).

He suggested increasing the number of beneficiaries of the cattle project from one to three households in each village. He commended NRM MPs from Mukono for supporting the Land Amendment Bill.

"With this law, the Government now has the power to save tenants from illegal evictions," he said under loud applause from the crowd.

He warned the Police and judges to stop issuing orders for unlawful evictions. "I am also one of the big landlords in this country but I cannot harass the poor tenants," he said.

Prior to the rallies, the president visited the family of Margaret Sserunkuuma, 49, one of the six model farmers supported by NAADS in Nsanja parish.

The woman said she earns more than sh20m per year from a three-acre plantain of bananas, six acres of vanilla, an acre of upland rice, and from a piggery and poultry project.

"Through farming, I have built a permanent house, educated all my children to university level, and set up a small factory to process my vanilla produce during seasons of excess supply and low prices," she told the President.

Museveni called her one of the disciples of his prosperity-for-all message and gave her sh2m to start a nursery bed for supplying banana suckers to other residents in the parish.

He also visited Moses Ssebika's poultry farm of 8,000 chicken in Kilowooza village, Seeta parish.

Thousands of supporters clad in yellow T-shirts, carrying dry banana leaves and chanting NRM songs in support of the fourth term kept intercepting the President's convoy on the way.

In Kyetume trading centre on Mukono-Katosi road, the president launched Nakisunga SACCO which has over 500 members and gave them sh2.5m to buy a motorcycle.

He announced that the 73km Mukono-Katosi and Kisoga-Nyenga roads will be tarmacked before this year ends to enable farmers transport their yields faster to the markets.

He cautioned the villagers against excessive consumption of alcohol and abuse of drugs, saying it was a waste of money and contributed to the high HIV/AIDS infection rate.

The President was accompanied by the state ministers for economic monitoring and for general duties, Vincent Nyanzi and Janat Mukwaya, and MPs from Mukono.