The President also recalled the close cooperation between Uganda and Tanzania, citing trade, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, the Murongo-Kyikagate mini-hydro project, roads in Tanzania, the Masaka-Bukoba transmission line and the Standard Gauge Railway, which has reached Isaka and is expected to extend towards Uganda and beyond.
According to Mukula, Uganda believes in the free and orderly movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the framework of regional laws and protocols, stating that it will continue to stand for the dignity of African brothers and sisters because Africa belongs to Africans.
"I have served you for the last 25 years I know some things might have not gone right and am here asking all residents to put our differences aside, forgive each other and move forward and I promise you this will be the last term as your chairman and I pledge to serve you with my team and make sure we develop our area together," Lukwago added.
“The UPC therefore respectfully calls upon His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, pursuant to Article 91(3)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, to withhold assent to the Bill and return it to Parliament for further scrutiny, wider consultation, and reconsideration,” the statement read in part.
As Nelson Mandela observed, nations can choose between conflict and cooperation. Increasingly, countries are choosing negotiation, reconciliation, and coalition-building. These require political maturity, for instance, a clear ideology, internal democracy, and a willingness to compromise without losing identity.
Apart from Jimmy Lwanga, NUP's Bukoto South MP Twaha Kagabo also crossed to PLU, a political movement headed by the first son, General Muhoozi Keinerugaba.