President Museveni has advised soldiers and other security personnel to start rearing pigs, instead of expecting high salaries.
Speaking to security personnel at the weekend in Kololo, Kampala, to thank them for securing the country during the elections, Mr Mueseveni said high salaries were the main cause of weakness in security and defence of past governments and as a strategy, the NRM cannot repeat the same mistake.
“In the past, soldiers used to drive cars on loans and have big salaries but when the war came, they realised that big salaries and cars don’t fight,” he said.
“… the first thing you must do is to avoid high salaries for policemen and soldiers, otherwise we will not have money to buy weapons,” he said.The president advised soldiers to join their respective Saccos and save the little they get to access loans.
“Go and rear pigs to augment your income. My sisters (soldiers’ wives) can look after them. Even in the barracks where you stay, start some income generating activity. Let your wives engage in something,” he said.
The gathering was convened to appreciate the security forces for the “good work” during and after the elections.
Mr Museveni used the function to remind security forces of the NRM’s strategy in building national security, saying the party has always had its own unique method which has enabled it to set up a defence and security system with a small economy.
He warned soldiers against thinking that outside actors, especially the UN, have good intentions for the country.
“Poor nations call up the UN to defend them but what the UN does is to misdefend (sic) them,” he said.
Highlights at the celebrations
Defence: The President says the West comes to Uganda to fund NGOs and homosexuality but they refuse to fund defence which is why government has decided to fund it using internal sources.
Entertainment: The ceremony, which lasted approximately four hours, was entertained by Chameleone and Bebe Cool. Soldiers took to the floor to dance to the music from the duo.
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