President Yoweri Museveni has insisted that Ugandans must prioritize work and avoid playing games during working hours as a measure to increase productivity of the citizens, in a bid to fight poverty in the new year.
In an emphatic message he shared on social media, Museveni narrated his experience how his love for the football game (way back during his youthful days) landed him into trouble when was dragged to Court and his father had to pay heavily to secure his (Museveni’s) freedom.
Museveni’s position on the game of football almost threw him into controversy with the lovers of the game when he recently urged Ugandans to avoid games during working time because there is a time for everything, a time to work and play.
Narrating his experience in 1956, He said that the temporary attraction to a game of football while (at work) herding the cows, led him to appear before the Parish Court at Kikoni for the first time in his life.
“The only time, I have entered a Court of Law, was in 1956, when, being attracted by a game of football, I joined the other boys (near Kame’s Kraal) for a moment of enjoying the sport as a player (because I was a good footballer), only to discover that the cattle I was herding had descended on a Mwanainchis luscious millet garden,” he said.
“Running at full speed, I tried to save whatever was remaining of the millet. It was, however, too late. I had committed the offence of Okwonesa,” he added.
“I was, then, coached, I do not remember by who, to say: “omushaango ningwikyiriiza” –I plead guilty to the charge –and that by so doing, it will be better for everybody,” he narrated.
He said that the case was swift as the plea of guilt helped matters, in the end, his father Mzee Amos Kaguta had to pay compensation to the citizen whose millet had been eaten by the cattle.
In his nation address, President Museveni said Ugandans should “clearly distinguish the difference between emirimo (work) and emizaano (sports, playing), between okukora (work) and okutarama (trans-night) or ebinyumo (merry-making).”
With the growth of modern economies, Museveni said activities like music (okweshongora) and sports (emizaano), have shifted from just being amusements (kushemeza) and hobbies, to emirimo (work) for the actors (some of the musicians and some of the sportsmen) because they earn from those jobs but not their fans.
Museveni urged citizens maximize opportunities in the 4 sectors of Wealth creation in Uganda including; Commercial agriculture, Industry (manufacturing) Services and ICT.
MUSEVENI’S NATION ADDRESS FULL: