As President Jonathan, jets off to Pretoria, South Africa for high-level discussions with other African Heads of State and Government on combating terrorism in Africa.The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has berated President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria over his inability to effectively combat insurgency and terrorism in the country.
Museveni, who played an active role in deposing former Ugandan Military Dictator, Idiamin Dada before he became president, derided Jonathan at the grand final campaign rally for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) woman standard bearer, Rebecca Nalwanga at Zirobwe Town Council grounds in his country.
Actually referring to the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Borno State and Jonathan’s request for international help in rescuing the girls, Museveni said he would prefer to commit suicide than beg the international community for help to protect his country against terrorists, bragging that his country’s army is capable of doing the job.
“I have never called the United Nations to guard us,” Museveni said.
“Me, Yoweri Museveni, to say that I have failed to protect my people and I call on the UN: I would rather hang myself. We prioritized national security by developing a strong Army; otherwise our Uganda would be like Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia or Nigeria where militias have disappeared with school children.”
He said it would mean a “vote of no confidence” in his country and citizens if country’s Military cannot guarantee national security.
Nigeria’s inability to find the Chibok girls and rescue them after over a month, has a global response inform of protests and demonstrations. Many have severely criticized Jonathan for complacency in tackling the issue.
Museveni’s jeer is the second in recent times coming from an African leader. Earlier in the year, President, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe had jeered Nigeria in the light of corruption.
“Nigeria is so corrupt that, you have to bribe a pilot before he could fly his passenger plane at Nigeria’s airport,” Mugabe had said.
