In a stern warning to army officers, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni cautioned against the dangers of politics of identity, citing its potential to undermine national unity and prosperity.
Speaking while delivering a lecture of opportunity to army officers of the Senior Command and Staff College Kimaka on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at State House Entebbe, President Museveni emphasised that the politics of identity have been the downfall of many African countries, including Sudan, which he noted has immense potential but has been ravaged by ethnic and religious divisions.
“You have seen what has happened in countries like Sudan, which has a lot of potential, but the leaders messed it up with the politics of identity between the ones who say they’re Arabs or Africans and the Islamic groups against Christianity. Sudan broke up. When you go to Juba now, the goods there are from East African countries like Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, but in the past, most of the goods were from Khartoum, but the leaders in Sudan destroyed their market with the politics of identity,” said President Museveni.
The President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), urged the officers to prioritise national unity and pan-Africanism, warning that ethnic politics is a recipe for disaster. He cited Uganda’s own experience under Idi Amin’s regime, which expelled Asians and led to economic collapse, as an example of the dangers of politics of identity.
“When we came into the government, we returned their properties. Now we have about 900 factories built by these Indians. The economy of Uganda this year grew by 6% and will continue to grow more. The politics of identity is wrong politics, and here in Uganda we rejected it,” he noted, adding that whereas the economy of Uganda has grown, the internal market for the products is not enough.
“We need the East African market and the market of the whole of Africa to ensure our prosperity. That’s why, on top of patriotism and love for Uganda, our second principle here is pan-Africanism. So therefore, we dismiss ethnic politics as backward.”
President Museveni’s remarks come at a time when regional security is a major concern, with the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo facing instability. The president emphasised that unless the politics of identity are addressed, even foreign forces will not be able to make a significant impact. This statement is seen as a veiled reference to the ongoing tensions between Uganda and the DRC and the need for regional cooperation to address security challenges.
The commandant of the Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka, who attended The president’s lecture comprised a delegation of 77 officers, 27 members of the faculty, and 50 students.
The students comprised 13 foreign students, two from each East African Community state apart from the DRC and Somalia. Two students were from the Republic of South Africa and one student from the Republic of Malawi, while 37 were Ugandans, highlighting the country’s commitment to regional cooperation and capacity building and the importance of military training in promoting peace and stability in the region. These are scheduled to graduate on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Overall, President Museveni’s address to army officers highlighted the importance of national unity and regional cooperation in promoting peace and stability in Uganda and the wider region.
