Alfred Wasike
10 October 2001
President Yoweri Museveni has reaffirmed Uganda's condemnation of terrorism, highlighted the differences between fighting for freedom and terrorism and promised to "firmly deal with those elements who plan to destabilise Uganda."
He called for political reconciliation and welcomed back to the Movement Kampala councillor Sarah Nkonge and others like her who "had gone astray."
He said Movement supporters and those who strayed should apologise to each other and unite to rebuild the country.
He said Uganda's economy had grown by more than 5% and inflation was under control despite low coffee and high oil prices last year.
He urged the media to help him educate the masses about the achievements.
Addressing the nation yesterday at Kololo Airstrip, the venue for the 39th independence anniversary celebrations, Museveni again stressed the need for government to "divest itself of the Uganda Commercial Bank."
Vice-President Speciosa Kazibwe made her first public appearance since a surgery in Britain.
This year's theme was "Striving For A United Africa - A Sure Way To Peace And Development." The festivities were not broadcast live.
"We condemn terrorism. Recently I wrote a letter to the newspapers making the distinction between terrorism and fighting for freedom. Not all guerrillas are murderers. A freedom fighter must fight for the truth. Even if you use the gun, use it carefully," he said in a mixture of English, Kiswahili and Luganda.
"Freedom fighters must have a just cause. Use some violence in a discriminatory and selective way. This is the mistake by the likes of bin Laden.
They don't make a distinction. My wife was in America when they flew the planes into the World Trade Center. She could have been on any of those planes. This is sheer confusion," he said. His wife Janet and son Lt Muhozi Kainerugaba were present.
Museveni said, "We fought from River Ruvuma to South Africa. We used some guns and plenty of mass action." He said Uganda was about to enact the anti-terrorism law. "It will be a serious law to fight terrorism plus those who abet and finance it," he warned.
Museveni said the Government decided to sell UCB because the workers there did not mind about profitability. "We want the private owners to control cash flow."
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