First Lady of Uganda Encourages Young People to Live Pure

"Narrow negative interpretations of our tribal differences dominate our thinking," Mrs. Museveni said. "True, we have our tribal identities but instead of using the positives, we are using the negatives to foment conflict between our people," she added. The First Lady was officiating at the opening of the National Youth Convention at Makerere University.

The convention, to discuss issues affecting the youth, has attracted over 8,000 youth from all districts in Uganda, with each sending 50 participants. Mrs. Museveni cited an incident during a youth conference in Ngora in Teso, where participants from Karamoja refused to share a dormitory with those from Teso.

"They were not even ashamed to say that the reason they could not sleep in the same place with them was because of tribal differences. This is how pathetic we appear to the outside world. At this time when Americans are teaming up with the Russians, their former enemies, to go into space, African students are refusing to share dorms because of petty differences," she lamented.

Mrs. Museveni said because of the petty differences, people kill each other in futile conflicts. "God will not bless a nation where people shed others' blood because of their tribes. This nation has attracted God's curse because of our behaviour," she said.

"It is up to the young to break this curse so that they can release the blessings that God intended for Uganda. Your fortunes are tied together and are tied to the fortunes of the nation," Mrs. Museveni said.

She also decried what she called selfishness of especially the educated who leave the country as soon as they are educated by the same nation. "They bite the hand that fed them and they appease their consciences by blaming whichever government is there. These are a few of the ills that have beset our nation. We need to consciously make our minds to succeed," she said.