Museveni's star fading and his politics of envelopes

Why Museveni’s global star is fading
Written by Eric Kashambuzi
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 18:22
Since 1986, I have attended annual debates of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
From this vantage point, I have watched, listened and heard world leaders deliver speeches, including President Museveni.
During his initial visits to the UN in New York, Museveni portrayed an image of a new breed of African leaders. He conveyed a clear political, human rights and economic development message which immediately won him international recognition.
He spoke eloquently and convincingly about his determination to end corruption and sectarianism forever; launch full-scale democracy based on regular, free and fair elections, transparency and accountability; restore the rule of law and respect human rights; and end poverty and its offshoots of hunger, disease and illiteracy in Uganda.
He was soon christened the ‘dean’ of a new breed of African leaders, who included the leaders of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
At the economic level, Museveni became the ‘darling of the West’ and ‘star performer’ in stabilisation and the structural adjustment programme (SAP) which began in 1987. Because of the enormous short-term social costs of SAP, its implementation needed a bold leader who would not tolerate opposition to the programme.
Museveni provided that leadership. Public expenditure, except for the military, was drastically reduced. Inflation was controlled and kept in single digits by reducing money in circulation and raising interest rates.
He retrenched public servants en masse, reduced or eliminated subsidies on consumer and producer activities, including education, healthcare and agriculture.
He privatised public enterprises in a hurry, opened up Uganda’s markets to foreign goods and services, diversified exports and allowed full operation of market forces and the private sector as the engine of Uganda’s economic growth.
The role of government in the economy was virtually eliminated. All these policy changes were designed to pave the way for medium to long-term equitable economic growth and help meet what later became the MDGs.
At the social level, Museveni’s bold, open and tireless efforts in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic when many other leaders were denying its existence in their countries won him national and international applause and recognition.
Because of these noble developments, Museveni and Uganda became popular on the international scene. United Nations missions visited Uganda and came back with success stories about school enrolment and reversing HIV/AIDS.
Whenever Museveni was in New York for the annual General Assembly summits, the media, human rights and civil or non-governmental organisations, academia, foundations and the private sector wanted to meet with him, making appointments well in advance of his arrival.
At these meetings, Museveni spoke with conviction that Uganda would soon become a middle income country. His star rose steeply. Then came troubles in quick succession and his star began to fall.
First, while in the General Assembly, Museveni would not follow standard procedures for delivering speeches. Most of the time he would address his fellow heads of state like a teacher would his students.
Second, the United Nations report accusing Uganda of involvement in the wanton exploitation of DR Congo’s natural resources brought shame to a leader who had been seen as the champion of peace, stability and development in the region.
Third, forcing the amendment of the 1995 Uganda constitution to remove presidential term limits to allow Museveni stay in power indefinitely dealt a heavy blow to his reputation.
Fourth, economic programmes which were initially registered as success stories worthy of emulation by other countries began to show signs of stress and imbalance.
Economic growth began to taper off to a level below the minimum of 7% required to meet the MDGs. High interest rates to tame inflation ended up discouraging small and medium enterprises from borrowing and investing in labour-intensive activities resulting in high unemployment.
In New York, demonstrations by Ugandans while he was addressing the General Assembly and the general unfavourable atmosphere reduced his engagements in high profile meetings, including the MDG summit itself.
He even skipped important side events which were attended by the Secretary General and some heads of state, including one hosted by UNDP.
Reports from various sources, including the media, had presented unsatisfactory progress including on HIV/AIDS and no progress or deterioration on the hunger target.
All in all, the general feeling is that Museveni’s star is plummeting and his legacy at home and abroad might be saved if he stepped down.
The author is a Senior Policy Advisor on the United Nations Millennium Project.
erickashambuzi@yahoo.com

A Herds Boy Receives a Fat Envelope From President Museveni for Supporting His 4Th Term Bid
Today in my country, wearing dry banana leaves means you support the President’s 4th term and that could earn you alot of money.
Read more: http://newsflavor.com/world/africa/a-herds-boy-receives-a-fat-envelope-from-president-museveni-for-supporting-his-4th-term-bid/#ixzz11XSRBJKZ
A few days a go this February 2009, a little 14 year old boy who probably didn’t even know what he was doing, had an unexpected hand shake from the President for dressing up in an attire that supports Museveni’s 4th Term. In Uganda today, dressing up in dry banana leaves is a clear sign of loyalty to the President and most importantly, a gesture of support for his fourth Term bid.

Read more: http://newsflavor.com/world/africa/a-herds-boy-receives-a-fat-envelope-from-president-museveni-for-supporting-his-4th-term-bid/#ixzz11XSb10sQ
Before the Constitution of Uganda was amended rather obnoxiously by the pro-NRM parliamentarians to allow the President of Uganda to rule this country for as long as he wants, a Ugandan President was hitherto, constitutionally allowed to vie for an elective office for strictly two 5-year terms. When this term limit was eventually removed in an amendment, which opposition members say was corruptly done, many supporters of the President’s rule without term limits started dressing up in dry banana leaves. It was an unspoken support and the President always took delight in seeing men and women urging him to stand again and again for as long as he wanted. Ofcourse, this would look absolutely ridiculous in eyes of the proponents of western democracy, yet in Uganda, such a grossly disgusting manipulation of the ideals of democracy easily gets rewarded.
Read more: http://newsflavor.com/world/africa/a-herds-boy-receives-a-fat-envelope-from-president-museveni-for-supporting-his-4th-term-bid/#ixzz11XSiyM3n
The little boy was grazing his cows along the Kampala-Jinja road fully dressed in dry banana leaves and a characteristic Museveni straw hat to match with his attire when the Presidential convoy that was traveling to Mukono district spotted him through the bushes. The boy was innocent and a bit naïve. He was trying to be naughty, but a closer look at him would also reveal that beyond his grandiose naughtiness, he was actually very much poverty stricken, because, inspite of having some good number of cows to his care, the banana dry leaves and the straw hat he wore made him a little better off than he would have been without them. As a matter of fact, if he didn’t put on the dry leaves, he would shown a more menacing poverty-consumed appearance than what he was presenting because, he had torn clothing over him and he actually looked very hungry indeed.
So when the Presidential convoy spotted him, the entire fleet of cars stopped and the Presidential Protection Unit dashed into the bushes to fish out the herds boy. He was visibly shaken because, for the very first time, he was face to face with the most powerful man in our land-President Museveni. The President greeted the boy jovially and reached out to his Aid for a well-stuffed envelope, which he passed on to the boy after a very long and hearty handshake. The bewildered boy who looked totally confused sped off into the bushes soon after, probably to count his unexpected riches.
Read more: http://newsflavor.com/world/africa/a-herds-boy-receives-a-fat-envelope-from-president-museveni-for-supporting-his-4th-term-bid/#ixzz11XStwIl6

Man held over stealing Museveni envelope money Tuesday, 21st September, 2010
By Tom Gwebayanga
A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stealing the envelope containing sh5m President Yoweri Museveni donated to a local farmers’ group in Busoga recently.
Bazirio Kawesa of Bukyala Zone in Buyende district was arrested after he allegedly failed to hand over the envelope to Tusitula Kunnima Framers’ Group. He is also a member of the group.
According to a member of the group, Peter Madooba, Kawesa received the envelope from the President, who was on a NAADS tour of Madooba’s farm on August 22.
Madoba said before the President’s arrival, members chose Kawesa to represent the chairman, Andrew Kategere Wampande, who was absent.
The President reportedly advised the group to use the money to start a SACCO.
After Kawesa failed to produce the money, the group complained to the Police at Irundu, who arrested him and transferred him to Buyende Central Police Station.
“Kawesa disappeared and surfaced later. When asked to surrender the envelope, he claimed he had given it to Madooba. But Madooba denied receiving any money from Kawesa,” said Buyende district Police boss, Fred Sozi.
Madooba separately received a sh5m from the President to boost his farming business.
Madooba told New Vision that the group was, however, baffled to discover that the Police at Buyende had released Kawesa on bond without charging him in court.