‘You overestimate yourself,’ Museveni rants as US expels Uganda from AGOA meeting over stance on LGBT rights

KAMPALA – Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, has downplayed concerns over the expulsion of his country from a special US-Africa trade programme.

Last week, US President, Joe Biden, said Uganda and three other African countries would be removed from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), citing Uganda’s “gross violations of internationally recognised human rights”.

BBC reported that, Museveni on Sunday however criticised the US, saying they “overestimate themselves” and “erroneously think that African countries cannot move forward without their support”.

“As far as Uganda is concerned, we have the capacity to achieve our growth and transformation targets, even if some of the actors do not support us,” he added.

The US was the latest to take action against Uganda, which in May passed a controversial anti-homosexuality law that includes a death penalty for certain same-sex acts.

Read More: KIGALI – Rwandan President Paul Kagame has introduced visa-free travel for all Africans, making Rwanda the fourth African country to do so.

The law prompted the World Bank to withdraw Uganda’s funding, but Museveni doubled down, accusing the organisation of coercing his country to reverse the law.

He stated that Uganda could still develop without the bank’s support.

Museveni, however, hailed the American government for maintaining funding for HIV drugs, but added that his government had a contingency plan to acquire the drugs if foreign donors pulled out.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.