Museveni urges student leaders to champion wealth creation, ideological clarity

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged student leaders to understand the fundamental problems of society and position themselves as solution providers rather than dependents.

He likened politics to the medical world.

“Society is like medicine, because a doctor looks at a patient and says 'What is this patient suffering from?' That means you do a diagnosis, you do analysis; is it malaria or? That’s what politics should be and even you people should understand what are the problems of your society,” he told leaders of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network at State Lodge, Nakasero on Wednesday (January 7).

Museveni also looked back at his time as a student decades ago.

“We used to study political economy in universities. It was helping us to know the evolution of society.”

He said that from the 1960s, the struggle was centred on wealth creation, warning against a mindset of dependence.

“We must have a society of wealth creators, not parasites. People don’t want to work but want to eat. Once you are a wealth creator, you become responsible. Families of wealth creators build a strong society."

Using his own experience as a cattle keeper, the President illustrated the importance of markets, patriotism, and regional integration. He explained that while he produces milk, beef, and bananas, local consumption alone is insufficient, hence the need for a wider national and regional market.

“That is why NRM [National Resistance Movement] talks about patriotism; love Uganda because you need it for your own good. And when Uganda’s internal market is not enough, you need the East African market. That is why you must love Africa for your prosperity.”

The President also emphasised the importance of ideology, describing it as a systematised way of understanding society that guides social, political, and economic actions.

He also cautioned student leaders against violence, noting that public infrastructure is built through collective taxation and belongs to the people.

“You cannot have ideology in your head and then go for violence. Violence destroys what you and others have jointly built through taxes."

Museveni further encouraged the student leaders to have clear principles and timing in decision-making.

“Fighting is like surgery. It is only used when other methods have failed, and even then, it must be targeted, not random."

He also advised the students to continue engaging their peers through remote communication channels such as social media, local radio stations, and SMS platforms to reach wider audiences.

Speaking on behalf of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network, James Ssentamu said the engagement aimed at finding ways to benefit university students and the country at large.

“The idea is to see how best we can benefit students from our universities as well as the country,” he said, adding that they were committed to using their leadership skills to create positive change in students’ lives.

The delegation also noted that they have been actively engaged in activities aimed at promoting peace and stability, particularly within universities and other tertiary institutions, thus reaffirming their commitment to peace and dialogue.