Museveni advisor calls for unity as Ugandans in California inaugurate new leaders

Amb.Abbey Walusimbi, the senior presidential advisor on diaspora affairs has asked Ugandans in California and those abroad in general to always be united amidst their differences in political affiliations.

Walusimbi made the call during the swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected leadership of the Ugandan Community Organization in California  (UCOC) held at the Jaliz Cuisine of East Africa in Los Angeles.

“I appreciate my appointing authority President Museveni who in the spirit of building unity designated a nonpartisan office to handle Diaspora affairs and I wish to call on each of us to put aside the outdated divisive politics and behave in a manner that gives our motherland pride,” Walusimbi said.

The senior presidential advisor on diaspora affairs asked Ugandans in diaspora to emulate their colleagues from other communities like West Africa living in the United States whom he said are united .

He noted that with unity, Ugandans in the diaspora can ably contribute not only financially but also in terms of knowledge to facilitate the growth of their country.

Speaking to the newly elected leaders of the Ugandan community in California, Walusimbi said all eyes are on them to ensure they unite their subjects.

“I trust that your leadership will steer our community to unity with love and respect for each other despite having different views and opinions. We should all become allergic to sectarianism and all schools of thought geared towards dividing us as a community because together we are stronger,” he said.

He assured members of the diaspora that government is working towards solving  their grievances that have been raised over years.

“For the past few months, my office has been working closely with both Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs, NIRA, URA and different diplomatic missions alongside all other Diaspora stakeholders in a bid to find lasting solutions to the challenges faced by all our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora,” Walusimbi noted.

The new UCOC president, Susan Kwizera reasoned with Amb.Walusimbi, noting that with unity, Ugandans in California can achieve more for both themselves and their country Uganda.

“We have talked about unity and more unity without actually moving in that direction. I cannot say we had winners or losers, the community endorsed us as the most suitable to bring all on board without bias,” Kwizera said.

“My leadership is determined to focus on community development and I am calling all likeminded people to rally behind us. Let us compromise all that we can so that we can all work together and steer our community beyond ethnic cells, beyond political caucuses. Let the quest to unite us as one be persistent, genuine and visible.”