Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, has congratulated NRM Members of Parliament for passing the controversial Sovereignty Bill, describing it as a necessary step to protect Uganda from foreign interference in its internal affairs.
In a strongly worded statement addressed posted on X on Wednesday evening, Museveni defended the legislation, saying it simply means: “Let us do our things by ourselves just as you do your own things without anybody interfering with you.”
The President criticized opponents of the Bill, calling it “shameful and disgusting” for anyone to support foreign involvement in Uganda’s domestic affairs.
Museveni cited the 1971 coup that brought former Ugandan leader Idi Amin to power as an example of the dangers of external interference. He alleged that the coup against former President Milton Obote was backed by Israel and Britain because Obote opposed Western policies on Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
According to Museveni, then British Prime Minister Edward Heath recognized Amin’s government just ten days after the coup.
The President said that despite previous political disagreements with Obote, leaders at the time had begun working together on regional integration and African liberation struggles, including efforts in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Guinea-Bissau.
Museveni further argued that Uganda’s economic progress during Obote’s administration was disrupted by Amin’s takeover, which he described as a foreign-backed project that plunged the country into years of instability and bloodshed.
“We had to spend 8 years and a lot of deaths in order to solve the problem created for us by others,” Museveni said.
The President ended his statement by once again congratulating NRM legislators for passing the Bill, which has sparked heated political debate both inside and outside Parliament over concerns about civil liberties, foreign influence, and Uganda’s international relations.
