Museveni to leaders: Just like me, never accept or solicit for bribes
President Museveni has urged leaders to emulate him by refusing to take bribes from anyone or being engaged in any corruption tendencies.
Museveni made the remarks on Tuesday during the national prayer breakfast at Pearl of Africa hotel in Kampala organized by MPs to pray for Uganda and inspire leaders to a renewed faith in God.
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“Don’t be corrupt. Don’t accept a bribe. I have never taken a bribe from anybody, or accepted or requested a bribe from anyone,” Museveni said.
He noted that during the 1986 bush war, he faced a number of temptations that would have seen him get engaged in corruption tendencies but said nothing derailed him from his goals.
He said while in Tanzania working under Julius Nyerere, they always asked him to infiltrate back into Uganda and do some intelligence work as part of the war but said there was no day he betrayed the cause.
“I would travel from Tanzania and infiltrate into Uganda and do work here. It was dangerous work. For us we were coming to face danger. I would have said that I was coming to Uganda and I don’t reach but return. Who would oversee me, a guerrilla? Where would an auditor come to know I had arrived in Uganda or I was telling lies,” Museveni wondered.
He noted that unlike him, many of his colleagues always fabricated stories but he noted this was not good.
Museveni lashed at leaders who misuse the trust given to them by God, saying it has forced God to punish the country.
“I have seen people ruining their chances. Leaders should not be tempted to abuse the trust given to them by God through people. In the last 60 years I have seen how leaders have ruined their chances by misusing the trust they are given,” Museveni noted.
“My advice to Africans is to do good because God is overseeing you. Be humble. Be hungry for the word of God. Do justice to other people but above all, don’t mock God by trying to be what you are not.”
The national breakfast prayers were attended by leaders from all branches of government, business communities, diplomatic corps, and civil society among others.
