We are not ready to hand over Uganda to greedy vultures

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OPINION

By Akansasira Junior Victor

“If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” — Matthew 15:14

“I call upon our student leaders to reject violence, moral decay, and political manipulation, and instead embrace peace, patriotism, and values-based leadership. I commend the maturity shown by the student leaders.”

The above statement was made by Mrs Janet Kataaha Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, State House Nakasero, January 10, 2026.

Uganda, at the dawn of 2026, stands at a historic crossroads. It is a nation brimming with youthful energy, abundant natural resources, and immense promise, yet equally vulnerable to division, manipulation, and reckless ambition.

According to the World Bank’s 26th Uganda Economic Update, Uganda’s real GDP grew by 6.3 per cent in FY2024/2025, reflecting broad-based expansion across agriculture, industrialisation, and services. This growth confirms that Uganda’s economy is not merely surviving but steadily advancing. However, economic progress only has meaning if the peace that sustains it, is preserved.

History teaches that nations which lose internal cohesion soon lose everything else. As of the January 15, 2026, general elections, the youth who form the largest demographic bloc—either safeguard these gains or imperil them. 

Proverbs 22:3 warns, “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself.” That wisdom must guide this generation. Since independence in 1962, Uganda has traversed a remarkable economic journey, evolving from a largely agrarian economy into one where agriculture, services, infrastructure development, and industry coexist as pillars of growth. 

According to World Bank data, GDP expansion over the last decade has been driven by structural reforms, human capital investment, and infrastructure development. The Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), under the National Planning Authority, aims to double the size of the economy every five years, anchored on peace, security, industrialisation, and social transformation.

Between 2010 and 2024, Uganda’s economy more than tripled, while domestic revenue collections rose significantly—clear indicators of resilience and recovery. With projected oil revenues and export growth, Uganda could attain middle-income status within a decade. Yet this progress is fragile and reversible if instability, turbulence, or political exploitation of youth prevails.

Peace and stability remain Uganda’s greatest strategic assets and a gain to be protected by all the youth in UGANDA and the diaspora. Since 1986, relative peace has enabled economic recovery, institutional rebuilding, and social development. According to StateHouse.go.ug, early prioritisation of national security laid the foundation for sustained growth.

Across Africa and beyond, the absence of peace has devastated nations. Currently, Sudan’s ongoing conflict has displaced millions, Libya remains fractured years after the Late Col Gadafi's regime collapse, while Syria and Iraq illustrate how war can erase decades of progress. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, immense mineral wealth has not translated into prosperity because instability has turned riches into a curse. Now go to South Sudan and see.

"Peace, therefore, is not abstract—it is the bedrock of development."

Uganda’s minerals and oil present both an opportunity and a test. According to statements tied to the FY2025/26 national budget reported by Parliament of Uganda, oil revenues are earmarked to support commercial agriculture, industrialisation, and full monetisation of the economy. Investments in oil infrastructure, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, could lift millions out of poverty. Yet global cautionary tales persist. In Venezuela, oil wealth without strong institutions led to economic collapse. In other resource-rich states, foreign capture and corruption impoverished citizens.

Uganda’s youth must, therefore, demand transparency, accountability, and public oversight to secure intergenerational equity.

According to C-NEWS, February 25, 2025 – "Uganda’s economy is poised to take a huge leap forward, buoyed by the anticipated commencement of oil production in the financial year 2025/26 and strong export performance. And the World Bank’s 24th Economic Update confirmed that the country recorded a 6.1 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in FY2023/24, a trajectory expected to accelerate significantly with peak oil production reaching 230,000 barrels per day.

This development is projected to boost GDP growth to 10.8 per cent in FY2025/26, generating an estimated $3.3 billion annually by 2030, equivalent to 4.9 per cent of GDP. Projected annual oil revenues of $3.3 billion by 2030 could have transformative implications for a developing country like Uganda. This revenue stream has the potential to reduce fiscal deficits, boost infrastructure development, and fund critical sectors like education, healthcare, and job creation. If managed effectively, it could help strengthen foreign exchange reserves, improve public services, and reduce reliance on external borrowing." 

Education remains the most powerful defence against manipulation. Uganda’s literacy rate rose from 43 per cent in 1986 to about 80 per cent by the early 2020s, while reliance on subsistence agriculture fell from 90 per cent to about 33 per cent, according to the Parliament of Uganda.

The World Bank consistently emphasises that early childhood development and human capital investment are critical to harnessing Uganda’s demographic dividend. Yet universities must go beyond awarding degrees. They must nurture character, integrity, humility, and love of country. Only morally grounded and intellectually empowered youth can resist propaganda and divisive narratives.

Infrastructure and regional integration are the arteries of opportunity. In the FY2025/26 budget, government prioritised construction of schools, markets, sports facilities, roads, bridges, digital connectivity, and transport expansion, including projects such as Puranga–Acholibur and Kampala–Gayaza–Kalagi, as reported by Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).

These investments reduce transaction costs, connect markets, and strengthen Uganda’s role within the East African Community. Strong regional ties with Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda enhance trade, security, and shared prosperity. Without connectivity, even the most industrious population remains trapped in bottlenecks.

Healthcare is equally foundational, it reminds me of the seven killer diseases during the time we were growing in my early 90s. According to Parliament.go.ug, billions have been allocated to functionalise Health Centre IVs, expand e-health systems, and procure advanced medical equipment. A healthy population drives productivity, longevity, and national resilience. In contrast, war-torn nations such as South Sudan and Somalia demonstrate how conflict collapses health systems and extinguishes hope. Defending healthcare investment is therefore an act of patriotism.

Sports, creativity, and technology represent Uganda’s untapped frontier. According to the World Bank, broad-based growth increasingly depends on services, innovation, and human capital. Digital entrepreneurship, creative industries, and sports generate jobs, identity, and global relevance. These sectors must be protected from political exploitation and cultural erosion which the youth will not malign and run away from.

History is unforgiving to nations that ignore warning signs. Libya, Syria, Iraq, DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela all demonstrate how foreign propaganda, internal greed, and division destroy states. Uganda’s youth - over 70 per cent of the population, according to UBOS—must choose unity, peace, and informed civic engagement over chaos.

In meetings with Inter-University Guild Leaders on January 7, 2026, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni urged students to reject violence and uphold ideological clarity. On January 10, 2026, at State House Nakasero, the First Lady reaffirmed the call for values-based leadership. On January 11, 2027, at Jinja City Hall, I personally chaired the meeting with ndugu Achaye Paul and Odwee Oremo, where the youth publicly declared "No to Violence" and promised commitment to national stability. Romans 12:18 instructs, “If it be possible… live peaceably with all men.”

By and large, To Uganda’s youth: Let us guard the Pearl of Africa, it belongs to us all. Do not surrender it to greedy vultures, selfish politicians, or foreign narratives. Your peaceful participation in the 2026 elections is the strongest defence of Uganda’s future—and history will remember your choice.

Akansasira Junior Victor

Writer and Researcher

vj.akansaaira@gmail.com 

0702969211