[UAH] Obote, Mutesa children hit Museveni in new book
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9:09 AM |
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In a new book, Tony Akaki, the first son of former President Milton Obote, has attacked President Museveni over his plot to give away part of Mabira forest for sugarcane growing.
The book, Mabira Forest Giveaway: A path to Degenerative Development, describes the government's push to donate part of Mabira forest to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited as a narrow 19th century approach to development that defies tenets of sustainable development.
Akaki, also an environmental activist and lawyer, says the Mabira giveaway is a manifestation of degenerative development that benefits President Museveni's selfish interests, as opposed to the common good that the forest serves. In the book, Akaki also details why conservation of Mabira is so appealing to even the international community—and why it's such a bad idea to destroy it.
He says Mabira's destruction would affect the conservation of the environment, its potential to affect ecotourism, medical research on indigenous flora and fauna, the loss of rain supply to Lake Victoria, and the potential for environmental disaster with deforestation.
Princess Jane Mpologoma, daughter of Uganda's first President Ssekabaka Fredrick Mutesa wrote the foreword, describing Akaki's book as a very insightful message that should inspire all Ugandans who believe in the protection of the country's environment for sustainable development and cultural protection.
"We the people of Uganda, all have a duty to fight poverty, ignorance, disease and environment degradation. I truly hope that this book inspires many more to join Tony Akaki and me in the fight to preserve our forests and demand good and responsive governance," Mpologoma says.
Mpologoma is a pastor in the Manmin church, London. Though the book was published last year, it is not widely distributed on the Ugandan market. Charles Onyango-Obbo, one of the few who have read the book, says: "The first mega crisis in Uganda, however, will not come from dispute over stolen votes or oil revenue. It is likely to be caused by the environment."
In the closing pages of the book, Akaki berates President Museveni for the plunder of DR Congo's resources, undemocratic governance and the poor socio-economic welfare of Ugandans, among others.
Information minister Rosemary Namayanja refused to comment on Akaki's book: "I have not had a chance to read the book and I cannot comment about the Mabira issue since I am not aware of government's current position on the issue."skakaire@observer.ug
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