President Yoweri Museveni has advised soldiers and other security personnel to forget about high salaries and instead rear pigs, if they want to improve their financial status.
Speaking to the forces at Kololo Independence Grounds this afternoon, during a thanking and congratulatory ceremony, the President said high salaries was the main cause of weakness in security of the past governments, a mistake the NRM cannot repeat.
“In the past, soldiers used to drive cars on government loans and have big salaries just at the rank of second lieutenant but when the war came; they realized that big salaries and cars don’t fight.
“To defend yourselves, the first thing you must do is avoiding high salaries for police men and soldiers otherwise we will not have money to buy weapons,” he said.
The president advised them to join their respective Saccos and save the little they get to access loans.
“Go and rear pigs to augment your income my sisters (soldiers’ wives) can look after them. Use money from the Saccos to boost your incomes. Even in the barracks where you stay, start some income generating activity. Let your wives engage in something,” he said.
The thanks giving gathering was convened by the President to appreciate the security forces for “good work” during and after the election period.
Meanwhile the Police Chief and Chair of the joint security forces committee, Gen Kale Kayihura said the mistakes made during the election and post-election period were not deliberate.
Story By Isaac Imaka
