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Ugandan leader donates sack of cash, drawing ire
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Candidate
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| Contributor | IndyGeorgia |
| Last Edited | IndyGeorgia Apr 23, 2013 05:44pm |
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| Category | News |
| Author | Rodney Muhumuza |
| Media | Website - Yahoo News |
| News Date | Tuesday, April 23, 2013 11:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — It's become an infamous photo in Uganda. The country's leader looks on in bemusement as a young man bends low to carry a sack filled with a donation from the president — almost $100,000 in cash.
The money is a donation from President Yoweri Museveni to a partisan group of youths in eastern Uganda, where he struggles to win votes in national elections, and activists and opposition politicians are seizing upon the moment as a blatant example of political corruption in Uganda.
The picture, which was distributed by the president's office after the event last weekend, was meant to highlight Museveni's generosity toward a group of youth. Instead it has focused attention on Museveni's profligacy during political tours and what some say is his role in fueling graft in the East African country that he has led since 1986.
Museveni has long been accused of using public money at his disposal to build the patronage networks that have kept him popular in some parts of the mostly impoverished country. He makes many promises at campaign rallies and distributes brown envelopes to supporters who beg for his help at campaign stops.
But donating a sack filled with Ugandan bills hit a raw nerve among critics who say it makes the president look like he's actively buying support. Others say it sets a bad example in a country that depends on foreign donors to finance about 25 percent of its budget. |
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