The President of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has prohibited the Uganda Police from using their brute strength to beat Ugandans.
In his highly anticipated address, especially as the country goes to the polls on 15th January, President Museveni, in his televised message, said that when handling rioters and lawbreakers, police can use legal and non-lethal methods that don’t kill.
“Regarding the police methods, I reject the practice of caning lawbreakers. Some police forces in the world do it using batons. I, however, reject it. It must stop. Teachers and parents in the past used to cane us, but it was a wrong method,” he said
“However, using tear gas on rioters is both legal and non-lethal. It doesn’t kill. It is much better than using live bullets. The police should be more methodical if they are to use tear gas or water canons and other non-lethal techniques, for instance, requesting in time the bystanders to move away before using tear gas and other anti-riot non-lethal methods against the rioters.” The President added
President Museveni advised police to ‘use loudspeakers to warn people and give people time to pull away’ during riots.
President Museveni’s remarks follow an outcry from the members of the opposition parties accusing the security organs, like the police and army, of brutalising them, as security organs also accuse the opposition of provoking them in their line of duty and mandate to keep law and order, and secure the nation.
Boasting that Uganda and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) are unstoppable, the president warned members of the opposition against intimidating Ugandans, saying their acts will land them in trouble.
“The criminal opposition must also stop intimidating Ugandans. You have no right to intimidate a Ugandan. Therefore, Ugandans, come out and vote; nobody will intimidate you or endanger your security. Anybody who tries will have himself to blame and will end up badly. The future of Uganda is bright. Our first oil will come out next year.” The president warned
Talking growth
“We have already moved 70% of the homesteads into the money economy. Yet, by 2013, only 32% of the homesteads were in the money economy. A whole 68% were still abakorera ekidda Kyoonka (tic me ic keken) — working only for the stomach. At Independence, 1962, only 9% of the households were in the money economy.” He noted, explaining that Uganda has entered a new phase where export earnings for goods and services are exceeding the import bill of USD 11.03 billion.
He also, [among other issues], talked about the tea sector, saying that the current challenges are temporary and will be addressed.
“With tea, there is the temporary problem of low prices. However, the People in the tea sector have assured me that the price is only affected by the failure to use fertilisers and bad picking methods.” He spoke