Friday, January 14, 2011

Kenyan VP campaigns for Museveni

KENYAN vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka and information minister Samuel Poghisio yesterday campaigned for President Yoweri Museveni in Kyenjojo district.

Musyoka said Kenya's president Mwai Kibaki and all Kenyans support Museveni for spearheading the East African Community.

He urged Ugandans to vote for Museveni so that he can complete the mission of uniting the East African countries to form a big market for regional products.

"Make a good decision and vote for Museveni so that he can complete his mission of uniting East Africa. You are making an important decision and the people of Kenya are behind you," Musyoka told the excited crowd at the old Kyarusozi playground.

Earlier, Kenya media reported that Musyoka's trip to Uganda was to meet President Museveni as part of a plan to lobby African governments to help Kenya defer the possible prosecution of its ministers by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the 2007 post-election violence.

Musyoka arrived in Kampala on Wednesday from Pretoria, South Africa, where he held a meeting with South African president Jacob Zuma.

A statement issued by Musyoka's spokesman Kaplich Barsito on arrival in Kampala said Kenya preferred a local judicial system to handle those implicated in the violence.

Capital FM in Kenya reported yesterday that other ministers had been dispatched to several capitals on the continent to lobby for support from the African Union ahead of a meeting in Addis Ababa on January 30-31, where Kenya plans to ask for support in seeking a deferral of the ICC case, as happened with that of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir.

Musyoka and Poghisio are not the first Kenyan ministers to campaign for Museveni in his bid for re-election. In December, Raila Odinga, the Kenya prime minister, accompanied by 10 MPs, campaigned for Museveni in eastern Uganda.

Before them was William Ruto, a former minister who attended the NRM's national conference at Namboole Stadium.

Museveni yesterday addressed three rallies at Kasiina in Mwenge South constituency, Kyarusozi in Mwenge North and at Bujuna in Buyanja, Kibaale district.

Museveni said he had a number of things he wanted to implement, but people should work with him to improve family incomes.

He said the most important thing that should govern the actions of the people is the fear of God, which he said is the beginning of wisdom.

He said the second important thing is peace in Uganda, followed by roads so that people can access markets and other infrastructure.

Museveni cautioned the people in Mwenge North against voting along tribal, religious and clan grounds, saying neither of those would get them out of poverty, if the elected person does not work for development.

Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime is running for the Mwenge North parliamentary seat as an independent candidate against David Muhumuza, the NRM flag-bearer. The two are locked in a bitter fight over the constituency, with Butime accusing Muhumuza of playing the tribal card of Bakiga and Bafumbira.

Muhumuza, on the other hand, is accusing Butime of harassing and intimidating him as well as his supporters.

Museveni advised the people to vote for a candidate who understands their problems and can help them work out solutions.

He also cautioned them against demanding and accepting money from politicians, saying it compromises their interests.

"Insist on issues. Put the politicians to task to explain if they claim that they know your issues…," Museveni said.

He promised to renovate several schools in the constituency and tarmac the Kyenjojo-Hoima-Masindi Road.

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