Unknown date -? October 2021
Unknown audience
TRANSCRIPT – by Muniini K. Mulera
President Museveni said:
“If I am rich, it is because I worked for everything myself. That’s why I don’t care about anybody. Silina gweneguya, kubanga tewaliwo eyali anyambyeko ng’omuntu. (I do not kowtow to anybody because nobody has ever helped me as an individual). So, to get gifts, to get bribes, to get - it is disgraceful. Kisirani. Mugenda kweletera ebizibu. (You are going to cause yourself problems.)
“So that is number one. Zero, zero, zero, zero tolerance for corruption. I already have a lot of information - this one, this one, this one, this one here, this one there but, unfortunately, I don’t have enough proof to arrest people. But I know.
“Stop corruption of the leaders. Stop taking bribes from businesses. Because I get reports. I have not arrested anybody, which, God willing, I may be able to do, of asking bribes from businesspeople. Political leaders of different types, including even members of parliament who are on the committees. This culture must stop. Because it is very dangerous for our future. It will scare business. Businesses will run away. Investors will run away because it is like a tax on business.
“I have reports about people who have been asking for bribes from companies and businesses. This must stop. We cannot tolerate it because it will kill the future of our country. Some of the countries would have gone very far. There are many countries – some of the countries had had wars and that’s why they lagged behind in Africa. But some never had wars, but they had the problem of corruption. And you find they are stagnant like the ones which had wars.
“Everybody knows, and I also know, I actually know who are asking for bribes, but I don’t yet have enough evidence to arrest them. So, this is number one. Must stop. Neither ask nor accept, even if they give you a bribe or even a favour. Paying for my school child in a-a-abroad. Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t accept any favour from a businessperson.
“If you want money go and borrow from the government banks. Don’t accept gifts nor should you seek for money. Everybody, all political leaders, civil servants. This is number one. Because I you don’t stop this, Uganda will now become – the business will slow down. People will get tired.
“There is somebody who was trying to do fertilizers in Tororo – a Chinese man. That man was disturbed by people who were taking bribes from him. And I know who took the bribes. But I don’t have enough evidence to arrest them, but I know them. And, of course, God know them – God knows them.
“And I have really watched for the last sixty years, how God punishes those who think they cle – they are clever, they will do bad things and-and-and they will prosper. I have seen it with my eyes. No bribes. Don’t ask for any money nor accept any offer from …… If actually someone gives you money, you should report him to the IGG. So and so wanted to give me a gift. What for? A gift for what?
“When I came back from the bush, the Banyankore collected cows – 800 of them, actually it was like 2000, because 800 was in Kazo, eight, like 2000 – that they were for me. I said: ‘I don’t want your cows. Take them to the government ranch.’
“You normally see them there in Ngoma. Those cows were cows given to me – which were supposed to be given to me as a person. That I was a fighter, I was a Moses who had hel…saved them. OK, Moses did not work for cows.
“I refused those cows and I handed them to the government. You normally see them in Ngoma. Initially I didn’t have land where to put them, but I squatted them at Ruhengere until I got that land where I put them and I normally give them to the-to-to-to-to the poor.
“Even you – people are not proud. I don’t want anybody to say that Museveni is rich because he was helped. No way! If I am rich, it is because I worked for everything myself. I feel very proud. That’s why I don’t care about anybody. Silina gweneguya, kubanga tewaliwo eyali anyambyeko ng’omuntu. (I do not kowtow to anybody because nobody has ever helped me as an individual).”