Zuma in unity rallying call on visit to Uganda

By Emmanuel Gyezaho  (email the author)

Daily Monitor, http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/886494/-/wjtoan/-/index.html

Posted Thursday, March 25 2010 at 16:15

In Summary

Kampala

Visiting South African leader Jacob Zuma has challenged African leaders to work towards unifying the continent as key ingredient for development. Addressing a special sitting of Parliament, Mr Zuma said Africans can only be liberated from economic slavery if they stand together as one, telling MPs that economic integration is a key remedy to the dire situation that the continent finds itself today.

Although the African continent is rich with natural resources, the S.A leader said Africa remains the poorest continent in the world.

“It is only by unity our people and pulling our economies that we will overcome this devastating legacy,” he said.

Mr Zuma moved to tap into the pan-african sentiments of his audience as he moved a passionate appeal to African statesmen to develop capacity for their people to trade with each other across borders.

“Our economic development is constrained by borders colonialists imposed on the African landscape,” said Mr Zuma. “That is why we are in support for economic integration. We must overcome these borderlines and draw our own lines.”

He said Africans should concentrate on drawing lines that represent “roads, railway lines and fibre optic cable lines.”

The ANC leader found moment to commend Uganda for backing South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement in the late 1980’s.

“The people of South Africa have not forgotten what Uganda did for them during their time of need,” he said. “Our words of gratitude should be heard by all in this beautiful country. We will always remember the sacrifice.”

Uganda was a place of refuge for hundreds of South African dissidents and exiles and hosted a military training camp for the rebel wing of the ANC in Kawaweta, Mubende District. The camp, named after renowned South African anti-apartheid politician Oliver Reginald Tambo, was upgraded into a school of leadership for senior police, prisons and military personnel with South African taxpayer’s funds. President Zuma will officially open the school tomorrow afternoon.