NRM's wise decisions have paid off, says Museveni

President Museveni has said the wise decisions they made in the formative years of the ruling NRM government have paid off greatly with the economy growing by leaps and bounds.

Addressing NRM leaders from Pallisa, Butebo and Kibuku at Busitema University grounds in Pallisa district on Monday, Museveni said government not only liberalized the economy but also returned the Asian properties which meant there was trust in government from foreigners.

“When Obote confiscated shares of foreign companies in his Nakivubo announcement, he caused himself problems because he brought a war between him and the foreign companies. They saw him as somebody who is grabbing their property. When Idi Amin comes in, he makes it worse by expelling the Asians,” Museveni said.

“For us when we come and bring peace, we decided to put some salt in our plans by returning property of the Indians and liberalise the economy.”

The NRM presidential candidate explained that whereas government used to have buses and hotels among others when they took over power in 1986, they decided these ought to be put in the hands of the private sector.

He noted that the move greatly paid off with a number of investments in the country.

“Because of the peace we created but had come from other steps and the salt of liberalization we added in, we now have a big flow of foreign groups. The biggest taxpayer is MTN, a company started by South Africans. We had our Uganda Telephone Company and by the time we came into government had only 28000 telephone lines but now talking of 28 million telephone lines brought by these foreigners because of our wise decisions.”

“They bring telephone lines, create jobs and also pay taxes.”

Naming MTN as the biggest taxpayers at shs700 billion, Museveni said the South African company has paid money given by the central government to the entire Bukedi sub-region (shs253billion), noting that all this is possible because of the wise decisions made in the formative years of the NRM government.

The President noted that government has been able to fund a number of infrastructural development projects because of money got from taxes raised locally from foreign-owned factories set up here.

He asked the party leaders to relay the same message to the electorates and that it would help them make wise decisions in the forthcoming election.

“This is the message you should tell the people because our medicine is tested and has worked. These steps are a sure way of transforming Uganda and we have achieved most of them.I want you to pass this plan of the NRM to the population so they know what they are supporting and how it will secure their future,” he told the NRM leaders.