“I’m very happy to see that the Inter-Religious Council is bringing unity among our religious groups but secondly, even the churches are beginning to get involved in wealth creation, doing exactly what Jesus did when he worked in the carpentry of Joseph to be able to produce and support the hungry or the poor. I really congratulate you for finally being in the footsteps of Jesus. I’m very happy to see that you are moving together,” he said.
The President who was in the company of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, made the remarks today during the end of year thanksgiving prayers held at State House Entebbe.
According to President Museveni, the government is ready to work with the Inter-Religious Council to ensure that all Ugandans join the money economy, in order to enable them to fight poverty and create wealth.
“We are ready to work with you. Currently, 67 percent of our people are really in the money economy and those still outside the money economy are 33 percent but even the 67 percent are not fully using the resources well, they need to be advised but we are moving, that is why Uganda has got a lot of production, a lot of food but we are going to do much more than that,” he explained.
“If we do that, all those problems like jobs will be dealt with through wealth creation.”
On the other hand, President Museveni highlighted some of the government interventions like the Parish Development Model (PDM) that have helped Ugandans to join the money economy.
“In 2013, I involved the army in distributing seedlings. They did a good job and when we checked by 2019 at least 61 percent of the people were in the money economy but still 39 percent were outside the money economy. That’s how we introduced this Parish Development Model because Operation Wealth Creation also had its own problems- these soldiers started doing their own things and the people were complaining that they used to share amongst themselves,” the President expounded.
“We said get out, let the people get the money and buy their own inputs, that’s how we started the PDM. PDM is moving on well in some areas. In other areas like Kapchorwa there are some challenges, I think I will have to arrest many people who erroneously took money from the PDM beneficiaries. We are opening a general Inquiry file. You see, it’s easy to fight corruption because right now we have communication. I can talk directly with anybody in Uganda through their personal phones. We are now going to investigate all those.”
President Museveni also cautioned religious leaders and Ugandans at large against sectarianism based on religions and tribes, saying it’s detrimental to the development of a nation.
“As a student movement in the 1960s, we rejected sectarianism based on religion and tribes because some people were pushing it. We said all these people need us and we need them. That is how the principles of the NRM started. Patriotism-You should love Uganda, why? Because you need it. Pan Africanism, why? Because you need it too,” he said.
“That’s why when the old system broke down, we came forward with our previously distilled principles of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic transformation and democracy. That’s how we created the army and the political movement, and we gained the upper hand because we had the factors of strength on our side.”
He further noted that the country is peaceful because of the NRM government’s doctrine of “no discrimination and no sectarianism”.
“Jesus said several times that we shall know them by their fruits not what they say or claim to be. How could you say that you are dividing the people on behalf of God?” he wondered.
On the issue of environmental conservation, the President said if the environment is conserved and people listen to the government’s message, disasters like landslides wouldn’t be killing people.
“We need to talk to our people to listen to guidelines so that we don’t get all these unnecessary problems.”
On her part, Maama Janet thanked God for the peace in Uganda that has enabled the nation to develop without any interruption.
“We say thank you Lord because you are the very source and the originator of peace. We thank you that we have experienced that peace this year, even the years before,” she noted.
“We thank you in a special way Lord, for the visionary leadership of our President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for you have raised him up to be a father of this nation and in the region and even in our continent. Thank you, Lord, for giving him the wisdom, strength and the ability to lead your people into greater peace and prosperity.”
The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda thanked God for preserving President Museveni and giving him the courage to lead Uganda.
“We thank the Almighty for protecting the people of Uganda and our brothers and sisters in the region as well as for the wisdom He continues to extend to us to contribute to the growth and development of our region,” the Minister said.
“Uganda is persistently peaceful on the account of your leadership, Your Excellency, we cannot take for granted this year-in- year-out stability.”
During the event, various religious leaders prayed for the nation.
Dr. Joseph Sserwadda, the Presiding Apostle of the Born-Again Faith said they gathered to give thanks for the healthy lives and for the many success stories that the nation has registered.
“Your Excellency, you are the champion, and we will never stop saying that, we will continue to give thanks for the many things that God has done through you,” he said.
Rt. Rev. Lambert Bainomugisha, the Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese preached peace and care for the poor without discrimination.
“The vision of the Inter Religious Council of Uganda which states ‘a divinely peaceful, United, prosperous Uganda where all people enjoy full health and freedoms for the common good’, falls in line with what the holy scriptures say about promoting justice and living today in peace,” he said.
“For us in Uganda, the poor may include, the elderly, the children, the homeless, those who are sick, the disabled, refugees, prisoners, those who are displaced by environmental disasters, and generally those whom we call the marginalized or vulnerable.”
The function was also attended by the Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo, the First National Vice Chairman of the NRM, Alhaji Moses Kigongo, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, religious leaders, among other dignitaries.
