President Yoweri Museveni has said that Africa has no poverty but lacks development. The President made the remarks Thursday at Tengeru, Arusha in Tanzania during the launch of the construction of the 234-kilometer Arusha - Holili / Taveta- Voi road that links Tanzania with Kenya. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the just concluded 17th East African Community Summit.
“Africa has got no poverty but lacks development. There are lots of resources without development. The people are not fully utilizing their talents as some are suffering from ill health, he observed.”
President Museveni told the gathering that there are 4 major sectors that run a modern economy, namely agriculture, industries, services and ICT. He reiterated that “when we talk about Africa’s’ development, we need to refer to the production sectors. He, therefore, observed that the main challenge is that Africa has been asleep adding that when we wake up, there will be a lot of production.”
Mr. Museveni further remarked that the market for our products is within the East African Community and that by having the community; it helps to add up the purchasing power of wananchi. He reminded them that a customer is his friend because he purchases what he produces. He said that the customers are our friends because they enable us to be wealthy.
President Museveni noted that there was need to celebrate over the new road linking Tanzania and Kenya because it will go a long way in easing transport between Arusha in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya.
The host, President John Pombe Magufuli, said that the people do not need Parties but good lives, income and prosperity. The issue of a few rich people amidst a huge number of poor ones, must stop, he stressed.
He expressed his pleasure over the developments in South Sudan where President Salva Kiir and Mr. Riak Machar have reached an agreement and prayed that they do not resume conflicts. He called on the leaders and the people at large to identify our mistakes and correct them.
He called on the citizens of the East African Community (EAC) region to be calm and work towards development.
He thanked the EAC leaders for electing him their new Chairman.
President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya observed that the day was important day for the wananchi of East Africa. He said that the road project is testimony that the East African Community is developing. He stressed that the duty of the Governments is to enable wananchi do their businesses without barriers.
In his comments, the Vice-President of South Sudan, Mr. James Wani Iga, thanked the people of Tanzania for electing President Magufuli whom he described as a great man. He saluted him for his commitment to the eradication of corruption.
He also congratulated the people of Uganda for their wise decision in electing President Museveni whom he described as a big asset of the East African Community. He saluted the EAC leadership for deciding to admit South Sudan into the regional economic bloc.
