Former Chua MP attacks Museveni over Mabira
By Norman Miwambo
22nd Aug 2011: The former Member of Parliament [MP] for Chua County Mr. John Livingstone Okello Okello, who was also the Chairman of the Acholi Parliamentary Group [APG] in the 8th parliament, has accused President Yoweri Museveni of hoodwinking the people of Uganda into believing that the current economic crisis is only about sugar.
In a letter to the President, a copy of which Uganda Correspondent has seen, Okello Okello said, “…while I do not know your intention, agenda and mission in mentioning my name each time you address the public on the current economic crisis in the country, I find myself compelled to respond, as I do here below, to protect my name and integrity”.
While addressing over 1,000 district officials and agriculturalist at State House Entebbe on 12th August, President Museveni named Okello Okello as one of the people who mobilised the people of Amuru district in northern Uganda to reject his plans to use land in Amuru to increase sugar production in the country.
Okello Okello added that, “…it is unfortunate that you seem to have gone out of your way to hoodwink the people of Uganda and make them believe that the current economic crisis is only about sugar-shortage. Far from it! 84% of Ugandans, who live in the country-side, wallowing in abject poverty, do not need sugar. They cannot afford it”.
Okello Okello said the current economic crisis that has hit the country is serious and demands deep thinking by those who call themselves leaders of this country. “…Knee-jerk gimmicks, which seem to be common practice in your regime, do not help the people of Uganda in any way. A serious government would have addressed the pump-price of fuel already…this is key to the cost of living”, Okello said.
Okello said Uganda has no comparative advantage in the production of sugar and that as a country, we would be better off importing sugar instead of grabbing other people’s land to produce sugar they cannot afford to buy. Mr. Okello Okello, a former Commissioner in the Ministry of Lands who presumably knows what he is talking about, also added that:
“…Both the Constitution and the Land Act, 1998, are very clear on the ownership of land in this country. The Head of State has no role to play in land transactions, because no title is vested in him. You cannot, therefore, give away any parcel of land to an investor and pass good title to the recipient. Their title will remain valid only as long as you are still in power”.
He also said President Museveni’s push to giveaway parts of Mabira forest to SCOUL represented what he called “…a catastrophic error of judgment which must not be allowed to succeed”. To read Okello Okello’s full letter to the President, please see “Museveni has shown ‘catastrophic error of judgment’ in our opinions section. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
