Museveni calls religious leaders traitors in New Year's message

KAMPALA - In a message that Ugandan media houses were compelled to broadcast, President Museveni blasted religious leaders who criticised the age limit constitutional amendment.

The Ugandan parliament recently amended the constitution removing age limits for presidential candidates, extending the term of elected officers of government from 5 to 7 years and restoring presidential term limits.

The amendment was very controversial, sparking off numerous physical fights in parliament, protests on the street and condemnation from religious leaders.

Instead of working for the independence of Africa, they are always in cahoots with foreigners – encouraging the latter to meddle in our affairs.

In his end of year message to the country, President Museveni accused religious leaders of pushing the agenda of foreign forces striving to meddle into the affairs of Uganda.

According to the president, these church leaders ought to have talked more about what he calls the “the strategic goals of our dear Africa.”

The five strategic goals set by past African leaders, he says, included regaining independence; attaining democracy; working for the prosperity; guaranteeing our strategic security through the political integration of as much of Africa as possible in the form of political federations like the East African Federation; and guaranteeing the survival of our identity as Black People without losing our languages, culture, customs, foods etc., to avoid becoming Black Europeans.

“To some of those elements, the five strategic goals do not exist. What, apparently, matters to them is political power for the political groups they fancy,” charged the president.

‘‘Instead of working for the independence of Africa, they are always in cahoots with foreigners – encouraging the latter to meddle in our affairs.’‘

The president went ahead to call religious leaders out on what he called ‘arrogance’ bordering on ‘betrayal’.-