President Museveni speaks ahead of Thursday elections | FULL ADDRESS

Summary

The speaker addresses the challenges faced during the campaign, including violations of COVID-19 regulations and voter intimidation. He urges registered voters to vote without fear, ensuring that security forces will maintain peace. The speaker emphasizes the importance of fair elections, condemning cheating, intimidation, and violence. He highlights the country's economic progress and the government's commitment to improving infrastructure, security, and social programs. He also warns against foreign interference and social media bias, advocating for national sovereignty and a clean, transparent electoral process.

Takeaways

• 😷 Some contestants defied COVID regulations by gathering in large numbers, risking infection.
• 📻 The speaker campaigned using indirect methods, including small meetings and radio broadcasts to avoid large crowds.
• 🗳️ The speaker encourages all registered voters to vote, assuring them that security forces will protect them from intimidation and violence.
• 👮 The government is prepared to deal with any threats or riots, ensuring a peaceful election process.
• ⚖️ Cheating in elections is considered treason because it undermines democracy and prevents leaders from being accountable to the people.
• 🆔 The electoral commission has introduced a fingerprint verification system to prevent fraud and ensure a fair election.
• 🚫 The speaker warns against voting irregularities, including tampering with voting machines and using fake ID cards.
• 💡 The country is doing well economically, with Uganda ranked fifth in global economic growth by Bloomberg, despite challenges like COVID-19.
• 🔬 Plans to improve sectors such as defense, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and the salaries of scientists are highlighted for the next term.
• 📵 Social media channels like Facebook were blocked due to perceived bias, with the speaker stressing that Uganda will not tolerate external interference.

Q & A

What were the COVID-19 regulations that some contestants defied during the campaign?

Some contestants defied regulations by congregating in large numbers, which could facilitate the spread of infections.

How did the speaker ensure compliance with COVID-19 regulations during their campaign?

The speaker campaigned using indirect methods, such as holding leaders' meetings with no more than 200 people, separating larger groups in the same venue, and using radio broadcasts.

What was the speaker's approach when encountering spontaneous large gatherings during the campaign?

The speaker avoided coming out of their car to wave at spontaneous large gatherings. Instead, they waved from inside the car and continued on their way.

What message did the speaker give to registered voters regarding intimidation?

The speaker urged registered voters not to fear intimidation, stating that security forces are ready to protect them and that no one will be allowed to intimidate or attack voters.

What is the speaker's stance on electoral cheating and violence?

The speaker warned that cheating and using violence to intimidate voters is considered treason. They emphasized that leaders should win support through persuasion, not through force or fraudulent means.

Why does the speaker believe cheating undermines democracy?

The speaker believes that cheating or using violence to win elections undermines democracy because it renders the voters' will meaningless and leads to leaders who feel no obligation to serve their constituents.

How does the speaker describe the new electoral system introduced by the Electoral Commission?

The speaker described the new electoral system as foolproof, requiring voters to use their unique fingerprints to vote, which would eliminate ghost voting and other forms of electoral fraud.

What instructions did the speaker give regarding malfunctioning voting machines?

The speaker urged the Electoral Commission to suspend voting at any polling station where machines malfunction until the issue is resolved, to ensure that voting occurs through the fingerprint system.

What role does the speaker assign to peacekeeping during the election period?

The speaker stressed that keeping peace is a duty, not a favor, and warned that anyone attempting to disturb peace will face consequences from security forces.

What is the speaker’s perspective on Uganda’s economic performance?

The speaker highlighted that Uganda is ranked fifth globally in terms of economic growth speed, attributing this success to good management and resilience, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.