Fellas,
This kind of writings coming from a presidential advisor whom we should assume
knows better, only angers. Can Moses Byaruhanga short-list, just 1000 Ugandans
within the private sector industry that are doing exceptionally well, not only
in running successful, honest, corruption-free businesses, but also impacting
heavily and positively on the economy of the country? And can he as well
short-list the impacts these exceptional entrepreneurs have on the economy?
With a population of about 30 million people, and a record 22 years in power,
championing free market economy, Moses Byaruhanga should have absolutely no
difficulties executing this simple assignment, in order to prove to Ugandans
the advantages of the free entreprise they advocate!
Can somebody please help pass this simple assignment along to the presidential
advisor?
Thank you.
Ocii
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
President Museveni is on the right truck
Moses Byaruhanga
I read with consternation my friend Chris Obore’s article in Daily Monitor of
October 8. In the article titled Are we getting returns on Museveni’s trips?,
Obore wonders if President Museveni and all African leaders ever learn from
the countries they visit.
He narrated his experience of Norway that he visited recently - where water was
free, students travel free on buses, no jams, an efficient public transport
system and that in his chart with the Norwegian International Development
Minister, the latter wondered why a majority of African countries had not
prospered like their counter parts in Asia.
I’m happy Obore has travelled and seen what happens in other countries. What he
seems not to have looked at is the development path countries like Norway have
gone through. I agree that many African countries took a wrong turn from
independence. There were policies like nationalisation of the economy as
happened in Uganda under Obote in 1969.
The developments Obore saw in Norway are a result of a strong private sector
that has developed over time to an extent that some of the countries in the
West are collecting a surplus revenue which they give out as aid. I’m sure
Obore has read about the French Revolution of 1789. The conditions in France
prior to the revolution epitomises the situation Europe was in the 18th
Century.
You had peasants, middle class and aristocracy, etc, but now peasantry is no
more in Europe. In terms of state formation, Europe took a path not far
different from what Africa has taken. You had the Napoleonic wars in France,
the unification of both Italy and Germany, the revolution in England, the
American civil war and the war of independence in the US. Most of this history
of war in the West has been preserved in museums and I wish Obore had a chance
to visit one.
If he did, he would not have criticised President Museveni about taking foreign
visitors to see the skulls in Luweero. That is part of our history everybody
should know about. If you go to Trafalgar Square in London, you will see
monuments of war heroes showing the history of war Britain went through.
In France, the main airport is named after one of its presidents - in
recognition of his contribution to the stability of that country. The Obores of
this world should value the contribution of Mr Museveni and others in bringing
stability to this country. It’s part of our history that Obore can’t run away
from. On Luweero skulls, Obore wrote that the NRA was partly liable. This is of
course misleading.
It’s true that NRA fought in Luweero but the skulls in question were civilians
murdered in cold blood by the then government forces. It is like what happened
with LRA in northern Uganda where they targeted innocent civilians. So it is
wrong to hold NRA accountable for the death of innocent civilians in Luwero.
On the development path, the choice of private sector-led economy was the best
choice for most of Europe, Japan and the US. As already pointed out, Africa
notwithstanding the colonial economic infrastructure set up for supplying raw
materials to Western capitals, some of the countries including Uganda under UPC
took a wrong path of nationalising the economy.
The free services Obore cites, some of the Western countries like Norway are
able to offer to their citizens are a result of the revenue collected from
mainly private owned businesses. The question Obore should ask himself is what
is Mr Museveni or NRM’s view on the path of the economy? President Museveni has
been the champion of a private sector-led economic growth and that makes a
difference between him and other African leaders past and present.
Whenever the President goes abroad, his main interest is not to learn from
there but to attract foreign investors to come and invest in Uganda. Some have
responded and the dividends are there to be seen. Private sector investment as
a percentage of GDP is now 21%, having risen from 12% in 1995. We are now
collecting about Shs5 trillion in local revenue having come a long way from 40
billion in 1986. This financial year we are collecting 70% of the budget from
local revenues.
As a result of increased revenue over the years, we are able to invest in
social programmes like UPE and USE, free clean water in the rural areas
immunisation against killer diseases etc. This year we have put aside $200m for
road construction and that is going to be annual. We have put aside an energy
fund to start off hydro power dams. All this is coming from taxes collected
from the private sector industries and service providers. We will reach a point
where we will have a budget surplus and offer more free social services.
Mr Byaruhanga is special presidential assistant on political affairs
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