By Benjamin Jumbe
President Yoweri Museveni has blamed the South Sudan conflict on lack of ideology and politicians who push forward identity politics and forget the interests of the people.
“Identity is important but it should not be promoted at the expense of the common interests of the people. Even Uganda was a failed state but was rescued by a student movement that taught people to forget about identity politics,” he said.
The President was last evening meeting the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley whom he briefed about the security situation in South Sudan, Burundi and Somalia at Uganda House in New York.
The President, who is in New York to attend the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, said there was need to unite the various factions of the SPLM through mediation as the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn works on the wider unity of the other parties.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, an average of more than 1,800 South Sudanese refugees a day have fled to Uganda in the past year.
In addition to the million refugees now hosted by Uganda, a million or even more South Sudanese refugees are being hosted by Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic.
Ambassador Nikki Haley commended President Museveni and the government of Uganda for the support towards the refugees and the reform efforts in Somalia and South Sudan.
“Uganda has been a good example on what it means to take in refugees. US offers its support as you continue to do that,” she said.
Earlier at a meeting with other world leaders over UN reforms, President Museveni, said Uganda supports President Donald Trump’s political declaration on UN reforms, which aim at creating a more lean and efficient institution.
