President Yoweri Museveni has released yet another missive around the sectarian and tribal talk by members of society over alleged favouritism that Banyankore are enjoying in the government of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
In a communication thread released on his social media, the longest serving President of Uganda expressed surprised about how Banyankore are allegedly getting majority of the Public Service jobs yet the Public Service Commission has not been headed by a Westerner since 1990.
“On the issue of tribalism, especially referring to jobs of the Public Service, people who push that talk are wasting the time of our People and misdirecting them. Jobs and wealth do not come from just being employees in the Public Service.” Museveni began.
He said that majority jobs at the moment are out of Public Service and spill over to the Private Sector where for instance, Industry accounts for 700,000 jobs, Services – 1,300,000, ICT – 170,000 and Agriculture – 11,965,200 among others. According to the president the, even dominating one sector of Public Service may not better their communities any more than the rest.
“Therefore, even if the Public service was dominated by the Banyankore, it may not help that community to be any better than the others. Besides, the claim that the Banyankore or the Westerners are monopolizing the 480,000 Public service jobs cannot be true.” Museveni added.
He wondered how the said tribe could manage to “monopolize” the Public Service when the Commission responsible for appointments has not been held by a Westerner since 1990.
“Why and how would those Banyankore dominate the Public Service where the Public Service Commission was last held by a Westerner, the late Mzee Bikangaga from 1979 to 1990?” He asked.
“Since that time, the Public service Commission has been headed by Zikusooka, a Musoga, Muzaale, a Musoga, Ralph Ochan, an Acholi, and the membership is always balanced. The Education Service Commission was headed by Waggwa Lubega for a long time. The current chairperson of the Education Service Commission is Sam Luboga, a Musoga. The Chairperson of the Health Service Commission is Dr. Pius Okong, a “munyankore” from Teso.” Museveni further said.
The President maintained that leaders of those commissions mentioned above are all very highly qualified people in their fields and that if they recruit only Banyankore, those Banyankore must be exceptionally gifted. He promised to “get to the bottom of that nonsense.”
He further reiterated his earlier warning about the public steering clear of the Armed Forces and warned them against attributing the sectarian talk to the forces as well while insisting that they have sacrificed a lot for their country to be carried in such talk.
“Coming to the Armed Forces, my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense. The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism.” He warned.
“If you are not working for the enemy, you cannot go on the social-media and demand that we publish the names of the personnel of UPDF, their ranks, and their jobs. The only thing we can say and what you know is that recruitment into the Police and UPDF is by quota.”
