Poor People Should Not Be Leaders, says President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has said all people seeking to take up leadership positions should be able to demonstrate personal economic success.

The President said Wednesday that people who are not involved in successful economic activities, and therefore not wealthy, should not become leaders of other people.

“I don’t like leaders who have no wealth,” Museveni said.

“What are you going to lead? When you lead, you speak for something; I speak for traders because I’m a trader. I speak for the farmers because I am a farmer and I know about farming. If you are nothing and you say you are a leader. What are you leading?”

Museveni made the remarks as chief guest at the International Youths Day celebrations which were held scientifically at State House in Entebbe.

The President stressed at the function that leaders should provide examples for the people they lead.

“Leading is about how society should live. So what testimony do you have for other people. You have to start by waking up the people near you, starting with your family. If you are a leader of people who are sleeping, they should call you a co-sleeper; you are not a leader.”

Youth Livelihood

Speaking at the event, Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development Hon Frank Tumwebaze noted that the ministry has registered great success in implementing the government economic empowerment programs, especially the Youth Livelihood Fund.

So far, the minister revealed, a total of 20361 youth groups have benefitted from the Shs 162 billion total funding.

“Through this program, the youths have been able to create employment for themselves. The ripple effect of this is being felt in the economy through tax contribution, promotion of import substitution and enhanced economic activity,” he said.

Tumwebaze also revealed that so far Shs 37billion has been repaid by the youths who received the funding initially, of which Shs 9.2billion has been ploughed back to finance 11,000 youths under 1090 group projects.

“That is testimony that the program is a success. If people were not able to make profit out of their enterprises, they wouldn’t have been able to pay back.”

Chimp