PRESIDENT MUSEVENI MEETS NIPPON FOUNDATION OFFICIALS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today welcomed a delegation from the Nippon Foundation at State House Entebbe. The Nippon Foundation is Asia’s leading grant-maker, based in Japan and cooperating with stakeholders of all levels around the world to confront social challenges. The team was led by Mr. Isao Iijima, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Takeju Ogata, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation. They are in Uganda to commemorate the launch of the Rehabilitation Center for veterans in Mubende District. The Nippon Foundation contributed USD 500,000 towards the construction of the center and the provision of equipment to support soldiers who lost their limbs in combat. Mr. Ogata noted that the Foundation has worked in Uganda for over 40 years, particularly in agriculture and social development, and pledged continued cooperation to strengthen Uganda’s resilience in the face of climate change and other challenges. President Museveni commended the Government of Japan for its long-standing partnership with Uganda, citing its support in building the Nile Bridge and in the road sector. He also praised Mr. Iijima for mobilizing recent donations, which included 2,000 sewing machines from Japanese companies which were donated to veterans and women groups, as well as fire trucks, ambulances, physiotherapy equipment, and prosthetic materials to benefit veterans and women’s groups. The President further appealed to Japan to expand trade ties with Uganda. “What we need most is for Japan to buy our products. We would like to trade with you, and we also wish that Japan removes taxes from our exports,” he said. The Rehabilitation Center project is being implemented with support from the Government of Japan and the Nippon Foundation.

2025-08-27

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ENDORSED AS NRM FLAG BEARER AND NATIONAL CHAIRMAN AHEAD OF 2026 ELECTIONS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially accepted and welcomed his endorsement as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential flagbearer for the 2026 general elections and as National Chairman of the ruling party for the 2025–2031 term. The endorsement, which came unopposed, was announced on Wednesday 27 August, 2025, during the first meeting of the fifth NRM National Conference held at the Kololo Independence Grounds, attended by more than 23,000 delegates from across the country. Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni, the President expressed gratitude to the party and its structures for entrusting him with the leadership mantle once again. “I thank you for entrusting me to be your Chairman of the NRM for the period 2025–2031. Thank you so much,” President Museveni told the gathering. “Thank you for electing me as your flag bearer for the presidential contest for the position of President of Uganda for 2026–2031. I will not let you down. We have got more capacity now than ever before,” he added. He further praised the masses of NRM members across the country, the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the National Executive Council (NEC), and the National Conference delegates for supporting his expression of interest in both positions. The Secretary General of the NRM, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, informed delegates that the party’s top organs, including the CEC and NEC, had unanimously endorsed President Museveni as the sole presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general election. “The Central Executive Committee and the National Executive Council strongly recommended and endorsed His Excellency General (Retired) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the NRM presidential flag bearer, unopposed,” Rt. Hon. Todwong stated. Similarly, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, declared President Museveni unopposed for both the NRM National Chairperson and Presidential flag bearer positions. “On behalf of the NRM Electoral Commission, I now present to the conference the candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the position of Presidential flag bearer,” Dr. Odoi announced, to resounding applause. Alongside President Museveni’s endorsement, Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo was also re-elected unopposed as the First National Vice Chairperson of the NRM. H.E. Museveni congratulated him, describing him as a “senior cadre of the NRM who has served the party since 1980.” The President also extended congratulations to the newly elected leaders of various NRM party positions. However, he offered a word of caution and advice. “I congratulate you, but I want to give you advice. Be the leaders who solve the solvable problems, and the people will love you. But don’t carry the population on your head. Lead them by using government resources, not your own money. This is where corruption comes about, by trying to fund everything, yet you don’t even have enough money,” H.E. Museveni cautioned. The conference marked a pivotal moment in Uganda’s political calendar, with delegates choosing the leaders who will steer the party through the next five years. A historical and economic reflection: President Museveni also took delegates through a detailed reflection on Uganda’s economic history, from colonial times to the present, highlighting the transformation achieved under the NRM since 1986. He noted that at independence in 1962, Uganda’s economy was narrowly based on six key exports—the “3Cs” (Coffee, Cotton, Copper) and the “3Ts” (Tea, Tourism, Tobacco). This enclave economy covered just 9% of homesteads, leaving 91% of Ugandans in subsistence farming. By the time Idi Amin’s regime collapsed in 1979, cotton, copper, tea, and tourism had collapsed, leaving only coffee and tobacco “limping on.” The economy had been reduced to informal survival mechanisms like magendo (smuggling), kibaanda (forex black market), and kusamula (speculation). The NRM, he said, took on the task of reviving the economy through five distinct phases: Minimum Economic Recovery—restoring collapsed sectors and reforming the economy, Expansion of the Enclave Economy—boosting production of coffee, tea, tourism, etc., Diversification—commercializing subsistence crops like maize, bananas, milk, beef, cassava, and sugarcane, Value Addition—processing raw materials locally to increase earnings and jobs—and Knowledge Economy—moving into sectors such as ICT, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and automobile production. “As a result, Uganda’s GDP has grown from USD 3.9 billion in 1986 to USD 66.1 billion (forex method) and USD 188 billion (PPP method) by the close of the 2025/2026 financial year. The economy of Uganda has expanded 17 times since 1986, despite the corruption and disorientation of some of the actors,” President Museveni said. He projected a qualitative leap towards a USD 500 billion economy, anchored on peace, infrastructure, wealth creation, jobs, services, and markets. The President outlined seven guidelines towards Uganda’s continued progress: peace, development, wealth, jobs, services, markets, and political federation. He emphasized that peace was the foundation of prosperity and cautioned Ugandans to resist electoral friction, noting that the NRM has delivered 40 years of peace, a feat unmatched since pre-colonial times. “Without peace, you cannot create prosperity, which is number one of our historical missions. Through correct politics, emphasizing interests (business, markets, services, etc.) instead of identity (tribes, religious sectarianism, gender chauvinism). This has enabled us to unite our people politically and create strong national institutions such as the army, political parties, police, etc.,” President Museveni said. About Wealth (Obugaiga), President Museveni urged Ugandans to focus on four sectors, namely commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT. Citing success stories like Ijala Joseph of Serere, who earns UGX 1.4 billion annually from just 2.5 acres, President Museveni insisted that wealth creation starts at the family level and later expands to create jobs that stem from wealth creation, not government payrolls. “Government jobs are only 480,000. Factories and commercial farming have created more jobs than the government. Uganda has 40 million acres of arable land, and even if 7 million acres are put to use, the country could generate 500 million jobs,” he said. Regarding strategic security, President Museveni warned that while prosperity was necessary, it was not sufficient for strategic security. With major global powers advancing into space and dominating in four dimensions (land, air, sea, and space), Uganda alone could not match them. “Even when Uganda becomes developed, can it be present in these four dimensions? My answer is no. Africa needs political integration to ensure strategic security,” he remarked. He hailed the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) as a step toward prosperity but emphasized that the East African political federation would consolidate both economic growth and security, leveraging shared language and cultural similarities, especially through Swahili. Al-Hajji Kigongo, congratulated President Museveni upon his unopposed endorsement, pledging continued loyalty and service to the party. “Allow me to congratulate you upon the nomination,” Alhajji Kigongo said. “I’m very happy and thank you very much for what you have done ever since you came here. Thank you for giving us a chance to continue serving this country. We’re not going to let you down.” The conference attracted a broad spectrum of Ugandan leaders and international guests. Among those present were the Vice President of Uganda, H.E. Jessica Alupo Rose Epel; the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among; the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa; the Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga; the Prime Minister, Rt.Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, and her Deputy Prime Ministers; former Ugandan leaders, including ex-Vice Presidents Gilbert Bukenya and Edward Ssekandi; Members of Parliament; members of the CEC; among others. International delegations included representatives from Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, China, and the Saharawi Republic, High Commissioners and Ambassadors.

2025-08-27

COL. NAKALEMA URGES HEADS OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

The Head of State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema has today met and held constructive discussions with the leaders of government agencies at SHIPU offices in Kampala. The follow up meeting that preceded the first one held last week, aimed at further laying out strategies on how to strengthen collaborative efforts between agencies to ensure effective service delivery to the people of Uganda. “The continuation of this conversation remains focused on how our collaborative efforts as public sector executives deliver value to all citizens that sustains transformation of households,” she stated. Col. Nakalema made a passionate appeal to them to effectively use their positions to bolster their collaboration that will lead to the transformation of societies in Uganda. “As SHIPU whose mandate rests on coordinating MDAs, my appeal to you is to exploit this exclusive platform to reinforce institutional collaboration that will breed transformational gains for the populace,” she stated. The leaders of government agencies who attended the meeting included Dr. Barirega Akankwasah the Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Mr. Mugabe Robert of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Dr. Patrick Birungi the Executive Director of Uganda Development Corporation(UDC), Eng. Dr. Silver Mugisha of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Eng. Kaijuka Kenneth, the Chief Executive Officer of National Housing and Construction Company Ltd., Dr. Bruce Kirenga of Makerere University, Dr. Chris Mukiza of Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and Mr. Osborn Turyasingura of the National Secretariat for Special Interest Groups. According to Col. Nakalema, the leaders of government agencies have to account to the citizens of Uganda what the government has done for the population as well as indicate what plans they have for the socio-economic development of the country. She blamed the unawareness of the government's achievements by the masses to poor communication. “A lot of achievements have been registered by the government for the people of Uganda, but communication has not been very effective to highlight these gains,” Col. Nakalema asserted. She encouraged them to utilize the maximum Radio Stations that she said remain one of the widest dispensation tools, social media, Televisions and various groups to declare their accountability to the masses and also to inform the people of the government's achievements. Participants, therefore, agreed to use every avenue in their disposal to state the accountability of their institutions, plans and also to change the mindset of the people of Uganda, especially the youth, to deeply get involved in activities tailored at accelerating the socio-economic development of the country that will eventually lead to the transformation of their lives.

2025-08-26

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI TO NRM DELEGATES: FIGHT POVERTY AND CORRUPTION, BUILD THE MONEY ECONOMY

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today opened the 1st Meeting of the 4th National Conference of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, rallying delegates to focus on discipline, fight poverty and corruption, and ensure every Ugandan household joins the money economy. Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni, the President who is also the National Chairman of the NRM, addressed thousands of delegates from across the country gathered to elect special interest group representatives and chart the Movement’s future direction. The conference will see the election of leaders representing the youth, elderly, workers, and persons with disabilities, among others. In his address, President Museveni expressed delight at the youthful composition of many of the newly elected delegates, describing it as a healthy sign of generational renewal within the Movement. He urged them to uphold the NRM’s principles of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, democracy and socio-economic transformation, while taking the party’s vision deeper into households across Uganda. The President took delegates on a reflective journey of Uganda’s economic transformation under the NRM, tracing progress from the days of “minimum recovery” to what he now describes as the country’s “take-off stage.” He recalled the difficult years when Ugandans lacked basic commodities such as sugar, salt, and soap, noting that those days were about mere survival. He explained that Uganda later expanded its economy through cash crops like coffee and tea, diversified into other sectors, and is today producing higher-value products. President Museveni pointed to recent milestones such as the manufacture of vehicles through Kiira Motors, the establishment of vaccine production facilities, and the rise of ICT as evidence that Uganda has firmly entered its industrial age. “We are no longer in recovery; Uganda is in the take-off stage. We are now manufacturing our own cars, producing vaccines, and building an ICT-driven economy,” President Museveni said. Turning to household wealth creation, the President stressed that Uganda’s long-term stability rests on every family joining the money economy. He recalled that in 2013, about 68 percent of the population was still outside the money economy, but recent figures show that 67 percent are now participating. He said the government’s target is to ensure that no family is left behind. To illustrate his point, President Museveni cited the example of Joseph Ijaara, a farmer in Serere who uses a small piece of land to achieve high returns through commercial agriculture. He explained that Uganda’s money economy rests on four pillars — agriculture, industry, services, and ICT — and urged delegates to help their communities embrace at least one of these sectors. “In the past, towns were only filled with shops, but today we are building towns of factories where people work and earn. That is the NRM difference,” he said. The President challenged leaders to return to their communities with a clear mission of tackling the issues that directly affect ordinary Ugandans. “What I want you to take from here is simple: fight poverty in your families, fight corruption — don’t allow people to eat Parish Development Model (PDM) money. Insist that the police fight crime, and where they fail, report them,” he stressed. President Museveni also underlined the importance of social services as the foundation of transformation. On health, he noted progress in the fight against malaria and immunization campaigns but criticized the persistent theft of drugs, which undermines treatment. He reaffirmed the government's plan to expand safe water access to villages across the country. On infrastructure, President Museveni revealed that each district receives UGX 1.3 billion annually to maintain murram roads, stressing that the funds must be properly used. On education, President Museveni made one of his strongest commitments of the day: ensuring free education in government schools. He argued that since parents overwhelmingly prefer government schools, fees must be abolished to allow every child access to quality education. “Once the NRM is voted again, we shall insist on free education in all government schools. Support me so we can fully implement it,” he said. NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong also addressed the gathering, reminding delegates that the NRM is a Movement bigger than any individual and that leadership must always be seen as service, not self-enrichment. He urged them to embody discipline, sacrifice, and responsibility in their work, stressing that elections may come and go, but the Movement and the people remain. Dr. Tanga Odoi, the Chairman of the NRM Electoral Commission, promised to deliver free and fair elections of leaders of special interest groups and the subsequent elections that will follow in the coming days.

2025-08-25

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ASSURES KENYA-BASED INVESTORS ON PARTNERSHIP IN KEY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday assured investors from Rebel Group, an international consultancy and investment firm based in Nairobi, of Uganda’s readiness to partner with them in key infrastructure projects. Meeting the group led by the former US Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Kyle McCarter, at State House, Entebbe, President Museveni welcomed the firm’s interest in Uganda and emphasized the country’s long-term economic opportunities. “We can start with infrastructure such as the Kampala–Bombo toll road and the Mpigi bridge. These projects are linked directly to the market and the consumers. As long as the consumers are there, the flow of money will not stop. That is why such investments are sustainable. They create jobs, put money in people’s pockets, and stimulate further spending,” he said. Reflecting on Uganda’s post-independence challenges, the President noted that past policy mistakes, including the expulsion of Asians under Idi Amin and the confiscation of private property, discouraged private investment. “We lost a lot of time after independence because of policies that were not private sector–friendly. Confiscating private property was a strategic mistake,” he said. “But when we came into leadership in the 1980s. We were clear, we had studied the mistakes of the past, and we had the credibility to say no, we are independent, and we are not agents of anyone. If you want true independence, you must create wealth so that you don’t depend on anybody,” he said. President Museveni explained that Uganda’s economic transformation agenda is anchored on four key pillars of wealth creation. “Our first pillar is commercial agriculture, where land must be used productively beyond subsistence farming. The second pillar is manufacturing, which focuses on adding value to our raw materials such as coffee, cotton, copper, and timber,” he said. “The third area is services, including tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and related sectors, the fourth pillar is ICT, where we must harness technology to drive growth. Everyone must be involved in producing either a good or a service, whether as an owner or as an employee. That is the foundation of wealth,” he added. The President also mentioned that infrastructure investment is central to unlocking regional trade, particularly within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “This is why I have been advising investors to look at Africa seriously. The Chinese have already seen the potential and are coming in big numbers. But there is even more space for others to participate. Infrastructure such as roads linking Uganda to Rwanda and Congo will not only serve Uganda but the entire region. That is where the real business is,” he said. Mr. Prashiv Shah, the financial consultant with Rebel Group, welcomed President Museveni’s guidance and declared the group’s interest in Uganda. “In Kenya, we are already combining infrastructure with real estate development, but we are willing to come to Uganda not just for infrastructure but for many other sectors as well. We totally agree with your vision, and we are ready to explore opportunities here. This is a new time for building investments, and we are glad to meet you,” he said.

2025-08-23

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AND FIRST LADY EXTEND SUPPORT TO TESO WIDOWS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, yesterday hosted the Teso Widows Development Initiative at their country home in Irenga, Ntungamo District, and expressed their support for the initiative. The Teso Widows Development Initiative is an organisation dedicated to uplifting 36,000 widows from the Teso Region by helping them secure better livelihoods and access education and skills. President Museveni serves as the Patron of the initiative. The members expressed their gratitude to the President for his good governance and ongoing support. “You have changed our name from the mothers of problems to mothers of blessings,” they said. In a memorandum signed by the initiative's Director, Ms. Akurut Beatrice Omese, and presented by the secretary, Ms. Pauline Akello, the initiative requested support for establishing a technical institute that would transform and benefit their community. “Many of our children cannot afford education, and we believe the technical institute will equip all the disadvantaged with essential skills,” they stated. In response, President Museveni welcomed the proposal, saying, “This is a very good effort.” He subsequently committed Shs 600 million to establish a technical institute that would empower the community with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue careers. This funding would also cover books, laboratory instruments, salaries, and the general running of the school for the first two years. To foster the initiative's growth, the President advised members to develop a money-making policy, such as establishing a SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative) to provide soft loans. He pledged to contribute Shs 100 million to the SACCO. Additionally, President Museveni promised to provide a pickup truck for the initiative and a bus for the institute to facilitate transportation. The Teso Widows Development Initiative further expressed their appreciation to the First Lady for her contributions to improving the lives of marginalised groups within the initiative, as well as for her collaboration in providing entrepreneurship training. Maama Janet, for her part, stated that it is her desire to see women's organisations come together to save and establish a bank in the future that will ensure self-reliance rather than dependence. She mentioned this while giving testimony about a group of Bangladeshi women who were semi-literate with very limited resources but went on to establish one of the biggest banks in the world. She further urged the widows to develop a saving culture rather than relying on a habit of borrowing to spend. “The problem we have is that we don’t know how to save, and we often borrow to spend,” said the First Lady. To emphasise the discipline of saving, Maama Janet advised the widows to ensure that they save a portion of their earnings each week or month. As their savings grow over time, they can then invest the money into larger projects.

2025-08-21