Museveni Flies Economy Class

There have been mixed reactions in Uganda to the news that President Yoweri Museveni flew economy class on a commercial airline over the weekend.

The ruling party welcomed his move which his spokesperson said was to show an example to complaining civil servants that economy class should be used.

But the BBC's correspondent in the capital Kampala said many Ugandans saw his trip as a publicity stunt. He said a second presidential jet was bought last year, amid opposition.

According to presidential spokesperson Tamale Mirundi, the president flew economy class from London to Entebbe last Sunday.

He was returning from a two-week trip away where he attended the Commonwealth meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

'He was treated like other passengers,' Mr Mirundi told Uganda's state owned New Vision newspaper. 'If the president can travel economy class, it is an indication that spending colossal sums of money by government officials on business and first class is going to stop,' he was quoted as saying.

'He wanted to find out the difficulties travellers face in flying economy class and why government officials complain about the economy class'.

Mr Mirundi told the AFP news agency that Mr Museveni wanted 'to cultivate a new feeling among civil servants'.

However, Transparency International's Robert Lugolobi in Uganda doubted the president's gesture to clamp down on government spending and corruption.

'For a man who has two jets for his official travels, once in a while to move in economy class, is that news?' he is quoted as asking.