Yoweri K Museveni is the President of Uganda
President Yoweri Museveni has said the United States’ attack on Venezuela is a wake-up call for Africans to unite and prioritise the issue of the strategic security of the continent.
While holding a media engagement with social media influencers yesterday, Museveni said the East African federation would bring unity, which would enable the region to build capacity to defend itself on land, at sea, in space, and in the air.
Museveni was responding to a question raised by Ms Marcella Karekye, the director of the Government Citizen Interaction Centre at State House, about the lesson Ugandans should learn from the United States of America’s attack on Venezuela.
The US military carried out strikes against Venezuela and arrested its President Nicolás Maduro on Friday.
Maduro was later flown to the US, where he was charged with terrorism and narcotic trafficking. Venezuela is a member of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) and the Global South Movement.
President Museveni is currently chairperson of the NAM, which comprises two-thirds of the United Nations members, who are largely from the global south. Museveni said his government is still learning from the Venezuela incident.
“You can see the gaps which I am telling you about. Because the Americans are operating from four dimensions. They are operating from the sea. The Latin Americans aren’t there; they don’t have a navy. They (USA) can come by air and space. Now, they are trying to come on land, which is, of course, risky for the Americans.
“There you come near even me, who has a short range, I can harm you. But there (in space and air), you are at an advantage. You are seeing me in space. I am not seeing you. You are in the ocean, I am not there, and I am here [on land]. This is what we are talking about with the Africans,” Mr Museveni said.
Museveni also revealed that small and weak countries are vulnerable to attacks from bigger countries, as has been the case in history.
“You can have small countries, like Denmark, but they have a centre of gravity. When they are in trouble, there is a big boy, like the US, to defend them. Africa has no centre of gravity, and you are here dancing paka kini. It is very risky, very risky,” he said.
In November last year, Museveni raised the same issue and called for the unity of East African countries.
“That is why I say, you people, why don’t you see how to unite? Because Uganda, even if you want to build a navy, how can you build it? We don’t have access to the sea. The political organisation in Africa is so irrational. Some of the countries have no access to the sea for economic purposes, but also for defence purposes. You are stuck. How do I export my products?” Museveni said.
He urged African countries to jointly invest in space, sea, and air technologies so that they are not caught by surprise by powerful countries.
