Saleh Still Wants To Buy UCB

Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh) has vowed to buy the Uganda Commercial Bank again if it is put on the market, reports Joyce Namutebi. He also hinted yesterday that he might contest for Presidency after his brother, Yoweri Museveni's final term of office. Addressing a huge crowd at Vibrations Hall in Katwe, a city suburb, Saleh said some people had asked him whether he would consider contesting for the Presidency after Museveni. "Ani agaana?" (no one can miss such a chance), Saleh said amid ululation. The crowd, which filled the hall to capacity, gave Saleh a new name, Hope. They chanted, "They have a hammer, we have votes. They have a Colonel, we have a General." The meeting was also addressed by Lt. Col. Elly Kayanja, who said he is in charge of security in Kampala Central for the election period. Saleh said, "You heard what happened between me and Kiggundu (Sulaiman). We had struck a deal with Kiggundu to serve the grassroot, but it failed." He said money-lending institutions were buying Treasury Bills but he and Kiggundu wanted to go down to the people. "Twali tukoze deal" (we had struck a good deal), Saleh said, adding, "If they put it (UCB) back on the market we shall not let whites take it. "I will approach Kiggundu to see what we can do." Saleh said there was no mistake as far as the deal was concerned. "I gave Kiggundu political support. If the deal had matured that would have been good for us," he said in Luganda. He denied causing the downfall of Greenland Bank. He said sometimes he disagrees with Museveni on financial matters, but he hoped that Museveni would listen to him now. "I often tell him that there is rampant poverty in the country but he thinks that I'm the one who wants to eat the money," Saleh said. Saleh said 40% of the people he lent money had not paid it back yet. He appealed to the people to convince Museveni that he (Saleh) was the only one capable of fighting poverty. He urged the people to allow Museveni have the next five years, saying that God would not be amused if they did not. "Sometimes we disagree (with Museveni) like when he chased me from the Army but he is the only capable candidate," Saleh said. Ends