Outgoing Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Peter Elwelu has said being a senior presidential advisor, is bigger than his previous position.
Lt Gen. who represented outgoing Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi as chief guest at the 18th Wazalendo SACCO Annual General Meeting at Gaddafi barracks in Jinja City said he is now at a higher level than the position of the deputy Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF.
"I had refused to come TO represent outgoing Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadhi who was undergoing vetting in the appointments committee of Parliament. I said but I am no longer your deputy. I'm now a senior presidential advisor and I can't be deployed by a Minister, but rather by the president who is the appointing authority. We are at different levels, I am now at the level of former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya, Gen Elwelu boasted.
The humorous millitary officer also said much as he is leaving UPDF leadership but he will devote much of his time praying for the army.
To this, he ordered all the 500 delegates and invited guests to get to their feet and join him to sing along a hymn in Runyankore which they complied to.
Elwelu applauded the Wazalendo SACCO for improving the welfare of soldiers through giving them loans
"I recently took a huge loan because I am getting some good money in Parliament. I had never got a big loan, from Wazalendo SACCO but because I am a member of Parliament, I can pay back using the money I get in Parliament. I said in these five years, let me get something because there's some eating there. The money I touch in these days I have never touched it in my life," he said.
Wazalendo SACCO which started in 2007 has grown into the biggest in Uganda and ranked among the biggest in Africa.
According to the SACCO Chief Executive Officer Col Fred Onata, they have a membership of more than 100,000 and total assets worth shs950 billion.