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I paid for Natasha's bills in Germany - Museveni
By Lt. Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
Oct 5, 2003
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I, personally, covered the accommodation for my family in Europe and for the hospital expenses. Therefore, those cannot be the worry of Aggrey Awori, the Monitor or Onyango Obbo in Nairobi. Nevertheless, given my simple and strict life-style, I need to enlighten Ugandans about the need for my family or myself getting check-up or treatment abroad at all. Everybody should by now know my antipathy to going abroad. I only go because the country demands it. The Presidential Emoluments and benefits Statute entitles the President and his family to take holidays annually at State expense, including going to spend the holiday abroad. I have been in "State House" (never mind that for the most years I have been in State "Lodge", Nakasero, on account of economizing so that we save for the developments everybody sees around) for 17 years now. Neither myself nor any member of my family has ever gone for a holiday abroad. I have never even had a holiday within the country except once when I had a problem with my sinuses. That is when I spent a few days at Mweya before I went for treatment abroad. Every Ugandan knows that whenever I want a break from working in Kampala I go to my farms in Kisozi or Rwakitura to look at my cattle but also continue working for the country. Therefore, the new myth being spun by Awori, Monitor, Onyango Obbo and their allies about an "expensive life-style" by my family is not only nonsense but it also shows the desperation of those who have been fighting the Movement for all these years. I will come back to this point later on. The fact that I do not only detest but also hold in deep contempt a wasteful life-style is well known to Ugandans except those blinded by greed and envy. However, when it comes to security of myself, my family and my country there is no (and there will never be) any compromise. It is now almost 40 years that I have been fighting for the emancipation of Uganda, mainly, and, to a reasonable extent, for Africa. As Head of the Resistance Movement for most of this time, I resolved never to donate myself to the criminal killers of the African peoples - the ones that have caused so much misery for our people. Whether in the bush, in the urban warfare of the 1970s or, later on, in the Government when we drove the killers of our people and of our people's destiny out of power, we "despise the enemy strategically but take him seriously tactically" to quote Mao Tse Tung. It means that while, in the long run, we are sure to defeat the enemy, in the short run, we must take him (the enemy) seriously. We, therefore, take all the necessary precautions so that we minimize, or even eliminate, losses on our side so that we win victory, as we have done all these years. That is why I constantly visit the anti terrorist operational areas to correct any mistakes the commanders maybe committing. Defending ourselves against the enemy means doing so against his bullets, his land-mines or bombs, his chemical agents (poisoning) or his biological agents (poisoning through introduction of bacteria or viruses into one's body). Being the Head of our Peoples' Resistance for most of this time, means that I have been the principal target of many of these enemy schemes. I remember once when I, reluctantly, visited a certain African Head of State in the 1980s. I had to do it for the sake of Uganda. Being conscious of the evilness of that leader, we went with two planes ("expensive life-style"). We went with our old Gulf-Stream II and the C-130, the latter carrying a large supply of PPU. As far as the Presidential "meals" were concerned, we insisted on buffet - not to sit down and be served in a "Presidential style". Then, as I was leaving, the President gave me a "present" of a crate of wine (never mind that I did not drink any). We "graciously" accepted the wine and wanted Presidential Protection Unit (PPU) to take control of it so that we "handle" it in our own Resistance way. The hosts refused and retained it. Immediately, our security antennas went up and we waited for the host's next amateurish move. As I was entering my plane, the bodyguards of the host rushed with "the present" and insisted on putting it on my plane. My bodyguard (the late Akanga) long prepared for such "games" adamantly refused to allow them. He told them to put it on the C-130. They refused and took "the present" back!! Was that a "present" or something else? Why did they want it to travel only on the plane in which I was? We are very simple and live a simple life-style; but not so simple when it comes to resisting the enemies of our people's revolution. Therefore, when it comes to medical "care" for myself and my children, I will not allow the enemies of our people's destiny to take "care" of us as some criminal, operating from Kenya in the 1980s, took "care" of our RCs in the Busia area. As much as is humanly possible and as far as our country's resources permit, we shall defend ourselves in order to win the victory for the people. The progressive forces in Uganda and in Africa have depended on us making our humble contribution and we have never proved "useless" in spite of the multi-faceted struggles we have been engaged in. The problem with the Medical system in Uganda is that some of the doctors are partisan (mixing their political affiliations with their professional duties) and unethical, but overall Uganda has a deservedly high reputation for its doctors. Under the NRM good doctors have been training who we trust will serve all mankind, as doctors should. Nevertheless, we still have some wrong doctors. An Army officer was slightly injured in one of the operational areas. One of the doctors declared him "dead". The commander was not satisfied. He transferred the injured officer to another doctor. The "dead" officer is very much alive. Another doctor wanted to "amputate" the leg of one of our officers that was slightly injured in the leg. The officer shouted until soldiers came and rescued the unfortunate patient from the "doctor". The potential "amputee" is now very much alive with his two legs. Since I have been one of the principal actors of the Resistance, I regard myself and my immediate family as a principal target for the criminal forces - local, regional or international - we have been fighting so as to emancipate our people. I have, therefore, been most unwilling to give an easy "donation" of myself or my family to these criminal forces. We take all the precautions necessary; the rest is God's work. It has been a good fight. When I look at how much Kampala has expanded; how many children we have in the schools; how many universities are available; how many health centers, etc. I feel vindicated. Very soon we shall open 214 new health centers IV with doctors. Therefore, I am not about to benefit from the lectures about "simplicity of life-style", "frugal" use of resources, "prioritization", etc. I have shown all of you how to do any of the above. I hoped Awori had got those lessons! We "frugally" used 27 rifles to defeat the UPC regime that had 40,000 rifles at the beginning. "Simple life-style" - go to Migadde, Kitemamasanga, Kembogo, Kanyala in Luwero and Kiboga and ask those people about that question. Even in those crude conditions, by boiling water and taking other hygienic measures, we led a largely healthy life. The talk about buying "mammographs" with the money I used on the Natasha trip is neither here nor there. The issue is about security given some of the hostile doctors we have in the medical system here. I have some contacts among the senior Medical personnel we found in charge of the system. By opening a second Medical school we are expanding the number of doctors and many of them can develop into good professionals. Nevertheless, neither my few contacts among the senior doctors, nor the large number of the younger doctors can be said to be in such control of the Medical system that such a sensitive person such as myself should, unreservedly, expose oneself to the system. Consequently, in spite of being in Kampala for 17 years now, I have never rushed into a clinic and had my veins pierced in order to draw my blood for examination. I do it in a certain controlled way or do it abroad. Even abroad we take precautions. There was a famous General in Nigeria who was infected with incurable biological agents by "doctors" of the Abacha regime when they came to take his blood for examination. Another General who was in the same prison refused and he is very much alive and around. The other died a very painful death. In the Monitor Newspaper of 22nd September 2003, there was a very long article about lecturers at Makerere University awarding false grade levels to girls in exchange for sex or failing others because they refuse to be blackmailed into unwanted sex. That is how "professional" portions of our system are! Regarding the luxury of "State House", Nakasero, I would like to inform Monitor that Nakasero is merely a tiny four bed roomed house. My house at Rwakitura has got many more rooms and more spacious at that. If I need "comfort" and "luxury", I, therefore, know where to get it. About the "luxurious" gymnasium, I can only pity the Monitor. Anybody who cares about example of correct living should be happy that the President is not ekizeete (somebody who can hardly move himself around because of weight). As Head of the Resistance, I owe it to the struggle to keep fit. At one time, on account of having no facilities for exercising and not being able to go to Lugogo indoor stadium because of time and even security, I put on weight. The Monitor had a field day making cartoons of my newly acquired fat belly because of "eating too well" in "State House". That weight was, actually, part of my sacrifice, working for 18 hours a day without time or place for exercise. This was a different lifestyle from my previous times as a field resistance fighter. The struggle had now evolved to fighting using offices and international conferences. We must keep fit and ready for any fight even in the new work circumstances. That gymnasium and the better diet, including obushera (millet porridge), have helped me to lose weight. Only the enemies can regret such a happy development. It may be that the Medical service, like the Judicial Service, may, in the near future, need a Judicial Service commission of inquiry like the one of Sebutinde in the Police. This is not to say that there are no good and reputable people in the service. There are, indeed, many outstanding people. Nevertheless, the system had not yet attained a critical mass that could enable it to undergo complete transformation. We are approaching that state. Meanwhile, the Resistance, especially the highly targeted ones, survive kiyekera (guerrilla/bush fighters). That is the story of the expensive baby of Natasha. Once in a while my children have used the local facilities working with some of my contacts within the Medical system. Indeed, Natasha had a baby at Kololo hospital last time. It is, however, unwise to make it a habit. It is safer to, once in a while, use a completely different approach. This is the kiyekera way: "constant vigilance, constant mistrust, constant mobility" (as Che Guevara put it). You heard some educated people agitating that we should "honour" Amin. Some have found it difficult to condemn Kony atrocities. That means that there are still fascists lurking in our midst. Therefore, the question of myself and my family getting medical check-up or treatment abroad, where necessary, is unavoidable. It is part of our survival strategy in still hostile circumstances, in order to continue to fight for our country. In this case, however, this is irrelevant because I paid for my children's hospital bills and accommodation. I only went to great length to explain to my compatriot Ugandans why my children or myself should get medical care abroad rather than using our system here. Why did I pay for my children's hospital bills and accommodation if they are entitled according to the Presidential benefits and Emoluments Act? I paid, from my personal resources, because these particular children are married and they have their own families. If it was not for my involvement with the Resistance, which invites enemies for them and myself, they would be making their own quiet arrangements when it comes to such mundane matters as delivering babies. Since my involvement with the Resistance, however, creates problems for them, then it is my personal responsibility, when it comes to such vulnerable moments when they cannot avoid submitting to the authority and care of doctors for their very lives, that I come in, the fact that they have their own families notwithstanding. I, therefore, do not need Awori or Monitor to demarcate for me the boundary between State responsibility and my own personal responsibility in my family matters. Therefore, the only question is the plane and security that the State provides for my children when they are here or abroad. As far as security is concerned, surely it is the duty of the State to provide it given the fact that I have, for several decades now, been a points man (being a lead man) in the historical resistance of the people of Uganda and I have also been involved in regional conflicts on behalf of our people and other African peoples yearning for freedom. Why, then, the plane? First of all, people no longer travel by ship to Europe. Planes are a must, whether commercial or private. My children use commercial jets most of the time. However, in this case the children were overdue. Commercial planes do not allow pregnant women to travel beyond a certain time of pregnancy. Why did they not travel earlier? There were some security considerations that barred them from doing that which I would not like to go into here. My wife, normally, travels by commercial jets. However, when September 11th, took place, she was in Minnesota, USA. I sent this jet to pick her up because of the uncertain security situation at that time. I use my discretion which is, normally, not defective to deal with such matters. This Jet, sometimes, delivers Ministers to conference points for speed and convenience. Why can it not deliver the President's family if there is a specific need? One myth must also be dispelled. This is the myth that the Presidential Jet is more expensive than the ordinary commercial travel, especially if it is for a one-day stop. On account of the security considerations I have already mentioned above, the President's family travels with a number of people. The Presidential Jet carries twelve passengers apart from its crew. I am told that the cost for an economy ticket to Germany is US $1,800, while a Club ticket costs US $3050. If 4 of the 12 passengers were traveling Club, then, that would mean US $12,200. If the rest were traveling economy, it would mean US $14,000. That is a total of US $26,000, not very much different from the expense of the Presidential Jet. All this, however, without the security that goes with the Government Jet. Traveling in a Presidential Jet within Africa may even be cheaper - since we avoid transiting and staying in hotels waiting for connections. Even if the comparative cost was significantly higher than the cost of the commercial jet, however, if it became necessary for security reasons, we would incur that cost. Otherwise, people would not put burglar proofing on their houses or hire securicor or dogs or build a wall around their houses because all that increases the cost. However, we incur it because it is necessary. As far as the First Lady's office is concerned, even the most malicious person cannot credibly deny her contribution to the women and children's causes in this country. I am told she fundraised for UWESO not less than US $20 million in cash. This money has gone for credit to women (22,000 households), building vocational centers, school-dropouts' training, income generating activities such as bee keeping, etc. Therefore, State House supporting her so that she works for these disadvantaged groups should be commended. Denigrating her work is simply nasty. Those who benefit from her activities know better. |
© 2003 The Monitor Publications
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