Govt to revamp UPE, says Museveni
President Museveni inspects a parade during NRM's Liberation Day celebrations in Jinja on January 26, 2024. PHOTO/ DENIS EDEMA
What you need to know:
- Mr Museveni added that other locals said they had only heard about the Parish Development Model (PDM), but have never seen it, adding that First Lady, Janet Museveni, has promised to revisit the place with area Member of Parliament to find out what happened with the money of that Parish.
- Mr Museveni also heard that a newly-constructed, two-year road – from the New Bridge to Nyenga - was already developing potholes and directed Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala to find out what happened.
- Mr Museveni took a swipe at the Opposition, which he said talked with Europeans to see how to force Uganda to be a puppet of foreign interests.
President Museveni has said his government will revamp the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme after receiving reports that it has not lived up to its expectations.
UPE programme was introduced by the government in 1997, aimed at offering free and accessible primary education for all children in Uganda. However, there appears to be some challenges in implementing.
Mr Museveni, who was at St John Senior Secondary School-Wakitaka in Jinja City for the 38th National Resistance Movement (NRM) celebrations, said on his way to the venue, he received information that children were no longer going to school because they lacked fees.
“. . . We told these people (schools and head teachers) to stop charging these people money, and if the Capitation Grant is not enough, tell us, instead of chasing these children out of school. If these children can’t pay, the state of Uganda becomes their parent to look after them,” he said.
Security officers during NRM's Liberation Day celebrations in Jinja on January 26, 2024. PHOTO/ PHILIP WAFULA
“So, in the coming financial year, 2024/2025 or the one after that (2025/2026), we are going to start a new campaign on this issue, but I want support from all of you so that we don’t tolerate anybody who undermines that programme,” Mr Museveni said on Friday.
He added: “In the government schools we introduced free primary education and it must be implemented. I was told about nurseries but I won’t intervene in those because I have no expertise in managing them.”
Mr Museveni added that other locals said they had only heard about the Parish Development Model (PDM), but have never seen it, adding that First Lady, Janet Museveni, has promised to revisit the place with area Member of Parliament to find out what happened with the money of that Parish.
Mr Museveni also heard that a newly-constructed, two-year road – from the New Bridge to Nyenga - was already developing potholes and directed Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala to find out what happened.
On wealth creation, the President said this is where PDM, Emyooga and other government programmes come in, but he will return to Busoga for a zonal tour to talk more about that.
The President noted that there seems to be an issue with drugs in hospitals, but that, too, will be checked.
“That group (in Nyenga) told me about the area hospital and some issues about drugs. It is easy to find out who is doing what in the villages,” he added.
Mr Museveni said the issue of peace is being worked on, the army is involved and he is always directly involved, so it is moving well, notwithstanding the “bad situation” in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, and South Sudan.
On youth unemployment, he drew the crowd’s attention to a farmer in Fort Portal, whom he said is employing 10 people, adding that if nine million families in Uganda adopted such a model, the country will have 70 million jobs, more than the entire population.
The president further pledged to work on many roads in Busoga Sub-region, starting with “major ones”, including; Jinja-Budondo-Mbulamuti, Kamuli-Bukungu, and Iganga-Luuka-Kamuli-Kaliro among others.
He said we have repaired the old railway but are going to build a new one, adding that he is mooting an idea of giving that contract to the Engineering Brigade of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
“I have been talking to Chinese and other groups, but I am also thinking of involving the UPDF because they are able to do anything. You see what they’ve done with Namboole {Stadium), recently they did the new terminal (Entebbe Airport). We can do whatever we want to do, but the big problem we have is corruption.”
“Bogus Opposition”
Mr Museveni took a swipe at the Opposition, which he said talked with Europeans to see how to force Uganda to be a puppet of foreign interests.
“We in the security system know and at the right time, we are going to expose this bogus group they call the Opposition.
“. . . Those who miscalculate that Uganda is a typical neocolonial African country, Uganda under NRM is a different cup of tea and we can defeat anybody who challenges us here in Uganda regardless of who backs him,” added Mr Museveni.
Earlier, an alleged torture victim named Moses Ssimbwa, took to the dais, saying the Opposition reportedly used him to discredit the ruling NRM government, only promising to reveal further details when he meets Mr Museveni.
The celebrations were held under the theme: “Building a Country we all cherish”.
The Minister for the Presidency, Ms Milly Babirye Babalanda, earlier, said the theme fits into the wider 2021-2026 NRM manifesto, in which the President and NRM Party committed to “secure the future of all Ugandans” over the next five years.
Fifty-two people were awarded different class medals, including the former Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom, His Royal Highness Henry Wako Muloki OBE, for his contribution towards the external wing of the struggle.
Dr Emmanuel Kisaame, the Senior Medical Officer with Uganda Prisons Health Services, who is one of the medalists and resident of Luanda in Jinja City, says he was recognised as one of the members who has put in a lot of effort in the health sector, country and in the Prisons Service at large.
“This medal is a big motivation and I promise I am going to perform and support the government because recognition isn’t an easy thing, and I can assure you that I am going to perform my services as a health worker,” he added.
Dr Kisaame says he has been in the health profession for “over 20 years” and treated prisoners all over the country.
