20100401
ALL AFRICA

Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has said opposition leader Col. Kizza Besigye will be questioned by the Police over his remarks that the Government has sold Lake Kyoga to a South African company.

"If he said it, we will have to follow him up and ask him under what contract. The Police will have to ask him," Museveni said, according to a statement issued by his deputy press secretary.

The President was speaking in Barlege village, Okwang sub-county in Otuke district. The village was one of the hardest-hit during the LRA insurgency.

Yesterday, Besigye could not be reached to comment on the matter. However, Sarah Eperu, his aide, said Besigye discussed the issue while on a tour in Amolatar district.

"Besigye was reacting to complaints of the local population who had informed him that Lake Kyoga had been leased to white people and the locals could no longer fish unless they paid a fee. The matter was raised by the residents," Eperu said.

"Besigye responded by saying this had been President Museveni's style, that when he came to power, he sold all Government factories and now he was left with nothing to sell except leasing the lakes, against the interests of the nation."

Fisheries state minister Fred Mukisa recently said the ministry was drafting a policy to allow districts to lease lakes to investors. The aim, he said, was to create a sense of ownership in the use and management of the lakes to increase fish production.

He said because the public thinks the lakes belong to no one, the vital water bodies have been degraded and depleted. Some people, including MPs, had shown interest in renting the lakes, he said.

Touring Lango region to promote the Prosperity-for-All programme, the President hailed the people of Lira for the fast-track development following the return of peace in northern Uganda.

He said the NRM was determined to phase out subsistence farming, practised by 68% of families in Uganda, by promoting modern and commercialised agriculture.

Museveni added that role models would be used to educate the rest of the farmers.

"We teach and empower them so that the rest of the farmers can learn from them. Under the programme, it is important to have SACCOs in every sub-county to enable farmers save and access loans to improve their projects." On price controls, the President said commodity prices are controlled by the market and not by the Government.

"If there is too much production, the prices will go down, if there is too little, they go up." He said the solution would be to subsidise farmers but this would mean diverting money for energy to subsidies.

"The economy needs a developed infrastructure. If you don't have that, the cost of doing business remains high. That is why I am hesitant to go into subsidies."

The President, however, cited other ways to influence prices, such as creating additional demand.

"Maize used to be only for human consumption. Now we also need it for animal and poultry feeds. We can influence prices by exporting and widening the market. I am working hard to see if I can bring a factory to produce cornflakes from maize."

He said the Lango region received over sh9b NAADS funds in the last eight years. The Government is due to establish what it was used for, he noted.

The President commended the people for supporting the army to uproot the rebels from northern Uganda through the Amuka and Arrow boys militias. He attacked UPC leader Olara Otunnu for claiming that the NRM has done nothing in Lango, adding that even a blind man can see the changes.

"In 1987 there were 520 schools, today there are over 728 and this is on top of rehabilitating the old colonial schools. There were 3,094 classrooms, today we have over 5,990."

He cited the growing tarmac road network and water coverage. "For anybody to say nothing has been done is to make a fool of himself."

Museveni said next year, the Government will revise the NAADS guidelines to correct the unfair selection criteria.

He warned officials stealing government money or sabotaging government programmes that culprits would be dealt with severely.