Embattled Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says Ugandans are not putting enough pressure on President Museveni’s plan for the country’s oil wealth because “he is not understandable,” the politician said.
Museveni and his entourage today return from Equatorial Guinea after a four days oil and security trip on the invitation of the West African nation leader, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
“Right now Museveni is benchmarking oil exploration in Equatorial Guinea. He’s discussing oil authority with Mbasogo. We have no capacity for any audit, it has created confusion and it’s being stretched further,” Mr. Lukwago said during a Monday morning talk show appearance at Kampala’s NBS Television.
The Lord Mayor pointed out that Mr Museveni was deviating from what he said took him to wage a five-year liberation war by being unaccountable to his voters.
“Some NRM party cadres who have been harassing us are now doing masters in oil exploration. They have seen a window of opportunity that other Ugandans will not enjoy,” he added.
Uganda is looking to tap into Equatorial Guinea’s experience of oil production in order to build its own capacity before oil production starts, which partly explains the fondness between the two principals, the language barrier notwithstanding.
Social media in Uganda has for the last three days reacted negatively to President Mbasogo bestowing the Great Collar of Independence Award on President Museveni in Malabo.
The West African country is making gas compressors to power public service buses and reduce diesel use.
The two heads of state are ranked on the list of long serving non-traditional leaders. President Nguema has ruled the tiny oil-producing Central African country since August 1979, after mounting a coup that toppled his uncle Francisco Macías, who is also considered one of post independent Africa’s cruelest and corrupt leaders.
Mr Nguema was in Uganda in April on a three-day visit that was majorly based on oil talks with Museveni as he signs more contributory commitments towards exploiting Uganda’s estimated 6.5 billion barrels of oil in the Albertine Graben.
