Why continuity under President Museveni and NRM matters in 2026

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OPINION

By Grace Mary Mugasa

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s leadership has delivered what many nations struggle to secure: peace, stability, and sustained economic progress, gains that must be protected as Uganda heads into the 2026 elections.

When the NRM assumed leadership in 1986, Uganda’s economy was valued at about $4 billion. Today, it stands at over $65 billion, reflecting decades of consistent growth, macroeconomic stability, and deliberate state planning. This transformation did not happen by chance; it is the result of leadership that prioritised security, infrastructure, and wealth creation.

Peace remains the single most important dividend of NRM leadership. Uganda has enjoyed nearly four decades without nationwide conflict, an achievement that continues to attract investors, support tourism, and allow uninterrupted service delivery. In a region where instability remains common, Uganda’s security has been a strategic advantage that cannot be taken for granted.

Economically, Uganda has maintained average growth rates of 6 percent in recent years, even amid global shocks such as COVID-19 and geopolitical disruptions. Inflation has largely remained within manageable levels, and public investment has focused on unlocking production rather than consumption. Major road corridors, electricity transmission lines, and industrial parks now support economic activity across the country.

Government wealth-creation programmes have deliberately shifted focus to the household level. Emyooga has organized over 2.3 million Ugandans into enterprise SACCOs, enabling access to affordable capital. The Parish Development Model (PDM) targets 39 percent of households still outside the money economy, with sh100m per parish annually to stimulate production at the grassroots. YLP, UWEP, and GROW have collectively supported tens of thousands of young people and women to start, formalise, and expand enterprises, directly addressing inclusion and income generation.

Uganda’s export performance further reinforces the case for continuity. Export earnings have grown from about $2 billion a decade ago to over $8 billion, driven by coffee, gold, fish, manufactured goods, and regional re-exports. This growth has strengthened foreign exchange reserves and improved balance-of-payments stability, reducing dependency on aid.

The oil and gas sector represents Uganda’s next major economic leap. With investments running into billions of dollars, the sector is already creating jobs, stimulating local content, and expanding infrastructure such as roads, pipelines, and storage facilities. The sector has given birth to an Airport in Hoima and subsequently, a state-of-the-art Stadium. Government projections indicate that oil revenues will significantly support health, education, infrastructure, and industrialisation, provided stability and sound leadership are maintained.

The NRM manifesto for 2026 builds squarely on these realities. It prioritises commercial agriculture, industrial expansion, export-led growth, and human capital development, with the clear objective of pushing Uganda into high middle-income status. This is a continuation of a proven strategy, not a risky policy reset.

It would be dishonest to claim that challenges no longer exist. Youth unemployment, cost-of-living pressures, and service delivery gaps demand urgent attention. However, these are challenges best handled through experience, institutional knowledge, and policy consistency, not disruption and uncertainty.

As Ugandans, we must also express gratitude. Gratitude for peace preserved, infrastructure built, and opportunities expanded. More importantly, we have a responsibility to our young people to ensure that the foundation laid over decades is strengthened, not disrupted.

In President Museveni and the NRM, Uganda has leadership that understands where the country has come from, where it is, and where it must go next. Renewing this mandate in 2026 is a rational choice. A choice grounded in evidence, experience, and national interest.

The writer is the Minister of State for Public Service