Uganda plans military escorts, armored trucks for lawmakers



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Posted on: July 12, 2018 07:00

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) – Uganda is deploying military escorts and buying armored trucks for each of its more than 400 legislators while accusing them of being in charge. Growing insecurity, but detractors This decision is deemed too expensive for a poor country long considered one of the most stable countries in Africa

. President Yoweri Museveni published this letter on June 29 in a letter to the Minister of Finance, citing "crime and terrorism".

Some lawmakers have raised threats since the adoption in December of a bill that opened the door to 73-year-old Museveni so that he could eventually reign in the years 2030. Kizza Besigye, leader of the Ugandan opposition, said on Twitter that lawmakers felt the need to strengthen their security "because they were used" by Museveni in his efforts to extend his reign [19659003ItisunclearhowmuchthenewsecuritymeasureswillcostlegislatorsMostlawmakersarewiththerulingparty

A ruling party deputy, Ibrahim Abiriga, was shot dead by unknown gunmen near the capital, Kampala, last month. It was one of many firearms attacks in the country since 2015, including a prosecutor, a police spokesman and several Muslim preachers.

Museveni, a key ally of American security, took power in 1986 four times. The last vote in 2016 was tainted by allegations of fraud

Although Museveni has been campaigning on its strong safety record over the years, some worry that these gains will be exhausted even though they are not safe. he remains longer in power

. In crisis, the International Crisis Group reported at the end of last year that lawmakers were ready to pass the bill that removed a presidential age limit from the constitution. "Uganda urgently needs political and administrative reforms to prevent a slide into an increasingly dysfunctional, corrupt and insecure system," said the think tank

. , which relies heavily on external borrowing to finance ambitious infrastructure projects, is struggling to increase domestic revenues. The new taxes passed last month include a daily levy on the use of social media that has angered and calls for protests at the national level.

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