Museveni opposes Gaddafi on African political union

By Barbara Among

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has reiterated that he supports the idea of regional political federation before an African political union.

In a speech read by foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa to heads of state attending the Africa Union conference in Sirte, Libya, Museveni argued: “Since 1963, I have always belonged to the latter school — the school of regional political federations.”

He said at the regional level there was more potential for cohesion and compatibility than at the continental level.

Museveni did not attend the summit that opened in Libya yesterday to deliberate on issues relating to agriculture.

Iran’s hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, both of whom had been invited by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, cancelled at the last minute. Gaddafi is the chairman of the African Union (AU).

Press reports said Gaddafi wanted to use the summit to pressure African nations into accepting his vision for a greatly empowered AU executive.
Gaddafi wants to bring all African Union’s organs under a single federal authority, as part of his campaign for a “United States of Africa”.

However, many countries, especially in the eastern and southern Africa, favour a more gradual approach to integration, according to press reports.
This is the third time Museveni is expressing his stand against the formation of a ‘United States of Africa’ at an AU meeting.

In February, in Ethiopia, he clashed with Gaddafi after the two disagreed over the direction of the formation of a single government for all African states.

Museveni calls for the strengthening of regional blocs. “I would not like to miss this historic opportunity by undertaking more complicated tasks that, in our view, have little viability.”

He said Uganda supports a three-tiered-integration process: regional political federations, a common market for the whole of Africa and areas of joint or common action.

“As far as Uganda is concerned (and we already have a rough authorisation for this through consultations throughout East Africa), we are prepared to transfer sovereignty only to the regional federation level,” the speech read.

He pointed out that his position since 1963 has been in support for African political integration through regional federations.

Giving an example of East Africa, Museveni said the shared borders, languages and cultural linkages make it acceptable to all the groups of the region, Congo and parts of Mozambique, to federate.

Museveni said one of the obstacles to continental political unity is lack of a common language.

“You cannot have a country without a common language — indigenous or borrowed. USA uses English; India uses English, their own huge linguistic groups (Hindu, Gujarat, Tami and Bengali) notwithstanding; Soviet Union used Russian and Brazil used Portuguese.”

Museveni added that lack of a common language could also be a source of tensions and even conflict. He also pointed out that there is almost no infrastructure; rail and road linkages.

“Economic integration does not demand the same degree of cohesion as political integration. A federated East Africa could eventually be a very cohesive part of Africa, using Kiswahili enriched by Bantu and Nilotic/Cushitic dialects. Such a cohesive African state would become the strategic backbone of the African peoples,” he explained.

Museveni said the AU Committee of seven, which was set up to look into the matter, also identified areas that cannot easily be handled at either the national or regional levels even when regional federations are formed. 

The areas of concern include trade negotiations with foreign countries, dealing with the desert (the environment) and inter-state security issues.

[Josh Michael]

Ukiwatazama viongozi wawili kati ya Mseveni na Gadaffi utaweza kujua kuwa Gadaffi is more nationalist than Mseveni na pia Gadaffi alikuwa ni moja ya viongozi walikuwa na moyo kama wa mwalimu kabla ya dunia kumtenga au mataifa ya magharibi, But tuanze taaratibu kwanza kabla ya kumaliza tofauti zetu hapa Africa

[Kamakabuzi]

Many African leaders are not serious abount USAfrica. Museveni for example, is bringing problems in the East African Community: Once he showed that he will not leave the prsidency of Uganda untlill he gets the EA presidency, So he is ready to change the constitution for that purpose - and he has done so. He is currently quarrelling with Kenya on the ......island in lake victoria; they are about to fight.
Gadaffi on his side, is the life president of Libya; certainly he wants the USAfrica immediately so that he can be the first USAfrica president and possibly desires to the life pesident.
These two are all power hungry, their views should be watched cautiously

[Skills4Ever]

Wote walafi na wana uchu wa madarakaa nani zaidi.........

[Josh Michael]

Hakuna Tofauti kati ya Gadaffi na mseveni kwa ulafi wa madaraka maana wote wamekaa madarakani zaidi ya muongo mmoja

[MwanaFalsafa1]

Musseveni anataka regional intergration kama the EAst African Federation kwa sababu anategemea kuja kupewa uraisi wa East Africa. Gadafi nae anataka "United States of Africa" kwa sababu ana tegemea kuja kupewa uraisi wa Africa. Wote ni tamaa tu na nia zao zina conflict with each other ndiyo maana mnaona hivi. Typical African leaders, nchi zao zimewashinda bado wanatafuta kupanua wigo la utawala wao.

[Mwiba]

Hata hivyo mnafikiri wazungu wanalitaka au wanapenda kuona umoja huo ukipatikana ? Ila tuelewe kuwa wakati wa kuungana umepitwa na wakati sasa kila mmoja anataka awe peke yake ,angalia kuna madai kule Pemba,chokochoko Tanga wakati wa Mwalim Nyerere na msukumo wa shida kule Kigoma na Bukoba nao walihoji ikiwa hawatashughulikiwa wanaweza kuwashawishi wananchi wa huko kudai uhuru au kujiunga na Burudi na Rwanda sasa sijui kujiunga vipi kama kinchi au kuingia msituni na kuanzisha mapigano ,unajua shida zikizidi uvumilivu unaondoka.

[Eqlypz]

Urafiki wa Museveni na Gaddafi ushakufa? Wote wana tamaa za madaraka.

[Sophist]

	Quote:	Skills4Ever
	Wote walafi na wana uchu wa madarakaa nani zaidi.........

What if you leave out the power hungry concept alone, to allow Africans think big of the African big picture?
I think one needs to leave mortal personalities alone, M7 vs. Gadaffi, when charting out the future position of Africa in world politics, economy and science.
The unification approach, between, the one presented by M7 and Gadaffi, is better? One has to remember that nothing is new in this debate. It was the bone of contention between Nyerere (his views now represented by M7) and Nkrumah (his views now represented by Gadaffi) in 1963.
Please let argue substantive issues

[Tumain]

	Quote:	Mwiba
	Hata hivyo mnafikiri wazungu wanalitaka au wanapenda kuona umoja huo ukipatikana ? Ila tuelewe kuwa wakati wa kuungana umepitwa na wakati sasa kila mmoja anataka awe peke yake ,angalia kuna madai kule Pemba,chokochoko Tanga wakati wa Mwalim Nyerere na msukumo wa shida kule Kigoma na Bukoba nao walihoji ikiwa hawatashughulikiwa wanaweza kuwashawishi wananchi wa huko kudai uhuru au kujiunga na Burudi na Rwanda sasa sijui kujiunga vipi kama kinchi au kuingia msituni na kuanzisha mapigano ,unajua shida zikizidi uvumilivu unaondoka.

Swala siyo wazungu kutaka je waafrica tunataka umoja huo? waboresha east africa au sadcc then AU.