President Yoweri Museveni has called on Ugandans to embrace the nation’s vision to modernize through promoting industrialization and infrastructure development, saying it is the way for the future. He also called on religious leaders not to be so descriptive on issues of development, adding that countries such as China and South Korea despite not being very religious are more developed.
“In South Korea and China the majority are not Christians..the few who are, are active in building the economy of their country. So you must believe that you can’t modernize a country by depending only on Agriculture. But when I try to implement this, it is opposed. In many situations we succeed but after a big struggle,” he said, citing the proposed Sugar factory in Amuru and the expansion of the Lugazi sugar factory.
“Why would anybody oppose modernization? How can the economy depend only on Agriculture? We can make more money if we supported industrialization. Help me promote the vision of modernization of our country,” he said.
The President was yesterday speaking at the interfaith National Thanksgiving service held at State House Entebbe under the theme, `A nationa Under God – Psalm 33:12,’. The main sermon was given by Mr. Stephen Langa of Family Life Network.
The President said while government was focusing more on hardware issues such as roads, railway and other infrastructure development, it is the duty of religious leaders to tackle moral issues such as homosexuality, drugs among the youth etc.
“The increasing homosexuality, drugs use etc..you also do that. That is your work to tackle moral decadence…nobody will use guns there. Drugs are a problem even in schools..you saw what happened to one of our young people in parliament who died..drugs are there. China deals with these issues more seriously..just shoot them. If you allowed me to do that there would be a lot of discipline. Or you can do it through parliament..that is why am against bail for some crimes….am going to take this issue back to parliament and if they refuse I will take it to a referendum,” he said.
The President who became nostalgic during the service urged Christians, Muslims and other people to remain united saying if the mission of God is God, why would there be discrimination in religions.
“If God is God and if all those who say love God come together, what is the problem with that? I’m glad that you are all together because this is what God wants us to do. You may have different spectacles to a lot of things but you are united,” he said.
The President who drew various quotes from the bible warned against borrowing and over relying on donor aid and urged Christians to break away from the curse of borrowing and begging. He however added that people have to work to achieve this.
He urged Ugandans to rally support for the NRMs vision to build an economy that is integrated and self reliant, saying without a vision, a country can perish.
The First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs Hon. Janet Museveni said Uganda has more to be thankful for.
We have more to be thankful for because it has been a year of challenges. There have been disasters, one after another but our home has been protected because we are a nation under God. It is because of that favour that we in Uganda have high expectations and that we shall continue to prosper,” she said.