We were opposition when governments were using bullets, not these opposition facing tear gas- Museveni

President Museveni has attacked members of opposition for letting down the people they represent despite government providing a favourable environment for them to operate, unlike during the days he (Museveni) and his NRM colleagues were on the opposition side.

Museveni claimed that for 24 years after Uganda's independence, was a member of opposition. hence, an expert. “It is during those years where I most helped members of west Ankole, Uganda and some parts of Africa. My job was to wake them up.”

He said that during the time of Obote and Amin’s regimes, he and colleagues put aside their fears and ‘woke’ their people up using positive points, unlike the current opposition who want to make everything negative to discourage their people while they draw large salaries for themselves.

‘That was a serious period of death different from here where tear gas is used. Nevertheless, it was during that time when I started changing Uganda. I couldn't stop working on the transformation of my people because UPC and Kabaka Yekka had grabbed power. Our movement continued. We held small meetings focusing on developmental messages.”

“Political parties are a means to an end; they cannot be an end in themselves. The end is to transform the people: the family, the area, the country and Africa. Transform them how? By making everybody join the modernity of the four sectors: commercial agriculture; industries; services; and ICT. To have subsistence farmers in your area continuously and you call yourself a leader, you are a mockery of leadership,” he added.

He continued that; ‘when Idi Amin came in, we went into the armed struggle which was also based on principles. We were never terrorists but used guns. This was also strategic. During this time, I rejected the Idea of assassinating Idi Amin or Obote. I am therefore free to work with children of Idi Amin, Obote, because there is no personal enmity between me and those families.’

“When I therefore see groups that call themselves opposition, support arson, don’t participate in the social economic transformation and get huge salaries from their banks, then they are not opposition, that is why I said what I said in the state of the nation address,” he added.