{UAH} US constitution not changed in 241 years, Malac toasts to Museveni

Rugunda and Malac click a toast for continued health of President Museveni

Right Honourable Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda; Honourable Minister of State for International Affairs Okello Oryem; Honourable Members of Parliament and other officials on joined U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac to celebrate United States Independence Day at the U.S. Embassy, Kampala.

At the event, Malac rose her glass in a toast to the "continued health of His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and to the lasting bonds of friendship between the United States of America and the Republic of Uganda".

Repeating "Long live the Pearl of Africa", Malac said in Uganda, America wants to see citizens with opportunities to determine their futures, to have a full say in how they develop and how they are governed.

"It's why we invest so much in human capacity – to help build the kind of healthy, prosperous, and secure Uganda that every man, woman, and child deserves. With an educated and empowered society, Ugandans themselves can defend their human rights, spur economic growth, and ensure stability for generations to come," she told her guests.

But this is a future that can only be realized if every Ugandan – especially women and girls – have access to economic opportunity, health care, and education, as well as the institutions to guarantee them, Malac noted.

She said the United States has supported this kind of inclusive development to ensure a bright and prosperous future for all, and "we intend to keep funding programs that have improved the lives of millions".

"The proof of our intentions is plain to see.  If you have not seen it already, I commend to everyone our recently-released Report to the Ugandan People, which highlights the many ways U.S. assistance is developing Uganda's potential."

In this publication, mothers like Evelyn Natukunda in Kabale are delivering safe and healthy babies thanks to activities we support; coffee farmers like Joshua Otinwingye in Nebbi are enjoying greater incomes and students like Mafabi Fizal in Mbale are gaining literacy skills.

"In my travels across Uganda I see the difference our assistance is making in the lives of Ugandans – in places as diverse as Arua, Karamoja, and Kalangala.  I see how we are improving health, building the capacity of local government, and educating the next generation of leaders."

Malac said US is investing in the people of this country so they can build the necessary institutions to guarantee success and prosperity.

"And I am confident that by continuing to work together, for the benefit of all Ugandans, we will see a country where every citizen enjoys the rights of life, liberty, and happiness – in full pursuit."

"Just as in our own experience, there will doubtless be setbacks and challenges along the way for Uganda. But with strong, vibrant institutions – backed by an equally empowered population – those so-called guardrails of democracy will be in place to keep Uganda on the right path, no matter how many twists and turns appear on the road ahead."

The secret of America's strength and success

In her speech, Malac said two hundred and forty-one years ago, the United States declared its independence, announcing the arrival of a nation the likes of which the world had not yet seen – one in which all citizens had the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It was a Revolution, and indeed revolutionary, to found a country and a government based not on the whims of a king or ethnicity or geography, but rather on a set of commonly-held ideas, she noted.

The document signed on July 4, 1776 was a declaration of all that we hoped one day to achieve – and an admission that the great experiment that was to become America would be a constant work in progress.

"Nearly two and a half centuries later, we still find ourselves in the midst of the experiment and experience that is American democracy.  But I do not believe, however troubled these times may appear, that the ideas and ideals that the United States represents are today any less relevant or inspirational than when they were set forth 241 years ago."

She said the secret of this longevity is not the result of one person or one party, because a true democracy is far bigger than any single politician or political movement.

"It requires the collection of all voices, backgrounds, and beliefs – a system in which every individual can and does have a say in how government is run. It is noisy, contentious and messy, but it works."

Malac said US has a Constitution that has stood the test of time and has been only lightly amended during the past 241 years.

The Constitution installs checks on the power of every arm of government – the Presidency, the Congress, and the courts – to ensure no one branch could gain total control over another.

"Likewise, each branch is equal to the others, providing balance between the competing priorities of the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. This separation of powers is the true genius of America's institutions."

She said America's democratic institutions extend beyond government as well. Just as important as an independent judiciary or empowered Congress are a strong civil society and a free and unfettered media.

"Institutions such as these have served as additional guardrails through the years – holding officials accountable, exposing corruption, giving a voice to citizens, and defending the rights of all. With freedoms of expression and the press, our democracy has survived and remained true to its founding principles."

"No government, not even America's, is perfect. Our institutions may occasionally bend, but they do not break. Our faith in democracy may periodically falter, but it does not fail. The United States, its structures and its democracy, has persisted because we have adapted and evolved over the years, in an attempt to live up to our ideals. The transparency inherent in our government ensures that all our flaws and defects remain visible, so that every citizen can identify and correct them," Malac said.

She said the true secret of American success is remaining a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Not just some people.  All people.  All faiths, all backgrounds, all beliefs – from all corners of the world.

"Ours is a country strengthened through the years by all who have arrived upon on our shores.   We are richer and more prosperous for having welcomed those from near and afar to join our marvellously madcap experiment."

"Our citizens, no matter their origins, are the true guardians of American democracy, and it is they who have kept our institutions – and our country – strong, vibrant, and a champion for the rights of all peoples.  Even as some may despair we have lost our way at times in our history, it is our people who bring us back to ourselves when it matters."

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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