President Yoweri Museveni has spoken out for the first time regarding the uproar over Shs 100 million allegedly given to each Member of Parliament from classified funds.
His response, posted on X, tackled both local critics and what he called foreign interference in Uganda’s politics.
In a lengthy post dated April 11th—marking the 45th anniversary of Kampala’s liberation from Idi Amin—Museveni dismissed concerns raised by a group of Opposition MPs led by Butambala’s Muwanga Kivumbi.
The group, backed by what Museveni termed the “anti-Ugandan newspaper” Daily Monitor, accused the government of misusing taxpayer funds.
Museveni, writing as the “Old Man with a Hat,” said the focus on MPs’ classified funds ignores deeper threats to national sovereignty—particularly foreign money quietly influencing local political agendas.
“We, the FRONASA-NRA combatants, fought for 17 years without pay,” Museveni wrote. “Motivation for contribution is patriotism, Pan-Africanism. Not everything is about money.”
He challenged the opposition to explain their silence on the reported influx of foreign cash aimed at swaying Uganda’s domestic politics, especially regarding LGBT-related activism.
Quoting U.S. Congressman Andy Barr, Museveni highlighted U.S. government grants totaling over $6 million meant to “empower Uganda’s LGBT community” and “shift public perception.”
“Have you ever heard of foreign funds being sent into Uganda to influence our politics?” Museveni asked. “If you receive such funds, you are not just corrupt—you are a traitor.”
He argued that classified funds serve essential state purposes like acquiring equipment and conducting strategic operations that neutralize threats to Uganda’s stability.
“Is that not the reason why Uganda is an island of peace in this area?” he posed.
According to Museveni, Uganda’s continued peace—despite regional instability—is proof that classified allocations have worked. He emphasized that many “traitor groups and schemes” have been successfully dismantled due to this approach.
In a parting shot, Museveni accused some in the opposition of masquerading as anti-corruption activists while playing into foreign hands.
“Are you anti-corruption fighters or enemy agents?” he wrote. “In time, you will be exposed. Wait.”
Political Context
The Shs 100 million per MP issue has stirred intense public debate amid concerns over rising living costs and inadequate service delivery. Critics argue the allocation lacks transparency, especially since it reportedly falls under “classified expenditure.”
Meanwhile, Museveni’s remarks connect local criticism with wider geopolitical tensions between Uganda and Western powers, particularly after the passage of Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law in 2023 led to funding cuts and diplomatic strain.
