President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday joined several other African Heads of State at the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, Uganda.
Uhuru, who is the current Chairperson of the East African Community, was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs), Peter Munya (Agriculture) and James Macharia (Infrastructure).
Heads of State Felix Tshisekedi (DR Congo), Alpha Conde (Guinea), Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), Hague Geingob (Namibia) and Nana Akufo Addo (Ghana) attended the ceremony held at Kololo Independence Grounds in central Kampala.
Others were Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Mohamed Abdullahi Faarmajo (Somalia), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia).
In his inauguration address, Museveni said Uganda had transitioned from a country of deficits to an economy of surpluses in agricultural production and manufacturing during his tenure.
“In 1986, Uganda was a land of shortages, no sugar, no soap, no paraffin, no textile, no salt, no sodas, no beer, no petrol etc. With limited waking up of sections of the population, Uganda now is a country of surpluses,” he said.
The Ugandan leader thanked Uhuru and other regional Heads of State for opening up their markets to Ugandan exports including sugar and maize surpluses.
At the same time, Museveni castigated unnamed foreign powers for continuing to lecture African countries on good governance saying some of them don't mean well for the continent.
“It is quite comical to hear some people giving us lectures about democracy. Giving us a lecture about democracy, what are your credentials? If you want to know what we are doing in a respectful way we shall show you, but no lectures,” Museveni advised.
Museveni was re-elected as the President of Uganda on January 17, 2021, amid accusations of vote fraud by his main rival Bobi Wine.
He won almost 59% of the vote, with Bobi Wine trailing with about 35%.
