Museveni: Banyankore are not dominating government jobs

Of late, the issue of tribalism in Uganda has become one of the most burning topics where a number of critics have accused President Yoweri Museveni and his NRM government of promoting the vice.

President Museveni has been blamed for only rewarding lucrative government jobs to only people coming from his Banyankore tribe and Western region. Even in rewarding of ranks in the army, it has been said that the Banyankore are being promoted favourably than other tribes.

However, on Thursday through his social media platform, President Museveni came out and attacked those fronting the issue of tribalism as a weapon of fighting his government, that they are wasting their time.

Museveni said the claim that the Banyankore or the Westerners are monopolizing the 480,000 Public service jobs cannot be true.

“Although, of course, I have not yet studied that diversion from addressing the 4 sectors of wealth and jobs that I always tell you about: Commercial Agriculture, Industry, Services and ICT. Why and how would those Banyankore dominate the Public Service where the Public Service Commission was last held by a Westerner, the late Mzee Bikangaga from 1979 to 1990. Since that time, the Public service Commission has been headed by: Zikusooka, a Musoga, Muzaale, a Musoga, Ralph Ochan, an Acholi and the membership is always balanced,” Museveni said.

The President also warned people to stop involving the Uganda People’s Defence Forces from their tribal talks because they have no interests in tribes or religious sectarianism.

“When it comes to armed forces especially the army my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense. The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism. Fighters, real fighters, never have interests in tribes or religious sectarianism; but in comrade-in-arms. I became a comrade with the mad Ageta on the 17th of September, 1972, because we found ourselves together taking cover, while combating Idi Amin’s gigantic Sergeants in the ant-hills that dotted the area where the Coca-Cola factory is now, near the Mbarara Barracks. If you are not working for the enemy, you cannot go on the social-media and demand that we publish the names of the personnel of UPDF, their ranks and their jobs,” he noted.

“The only thing we can say and what you know is that recruitment into the Police and UPDF is by quota. Beyond that, leave our Army alone and I mean, leave our Army alone.”