ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT AN EAST AFRICAN FEDERATION

Uganda's Museveni dreams of 2013.

Kizza Besigye was once President Museveni's personal physician. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has called for an agricultural revolution and an end to subsistence farming at the launch of his election manifesto. He said he wanted to win next month's polls to fulfil the dream of Ugandans' political fathers. If he won, the creation of an East African Federation could become a reality with one president for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in 2013, he said. Amongst five candidates, Kizza Besigye is Mr Museveni's main poll challenger. He was once the president's personal physician and is facing treason, terrorism and rape charges since his return from exile last year to contest the election.
The BBC's Will Ross at the manifesto launch, said Mr Museveni wanted to completely abolish subsistence farming, which currently some 68% of Ugandans practice. He also spoke of establishing several industrial estates, each with the potential for some 800 factories. "We will build the infrastructure; we shall advertise the estates. Anybody who wants can come. If they don't come the government itself can build the factory; they can be privatised later." One of Mr Museveni's manifesto pledges five years ago was to hand over power.
Last year, the constitution was changed to allow him to stand for a third term in office. He said he wanted to be elected to work for the creation of the East African Federation. "By 2010 we should have one presidency where the three presidents become co presidents of the whole of East Africa and by 2013 we have elections where we shall have one president for the whole of East Africa." The manifesto, entitled Prosperity, Transformation and Peace, also pledges:

To introduce free secondary education
To set up a government-run mortgage scheme for house buyers
To build more hydro-electric power stations
To work for the total annihilation of terrorist groups.

BBC NEWS REPORT BY WILL ROSS