📷 Govt is firmly in control of Ebola situation — Museveni

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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reassured the country that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government is firmly in control of the Ebola situation despite rising infections.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address at Kololo Independence Grounds on Thursday, Museveni said Uganda’s health sector was “fully prepared, highly equipped, and more than capable of containing the outbreak without disrupting national commerce.”

“Uganda’s health sector is fully prepared, highly equipped, and more than capable of containing the outbreak without disrupting national commerce,” he said.

The address came against the backdrop of fresh alerts from the Ministry of Health, which on Tuesday confirmed six new Ebola cases, bringing the total number of infections to 15.

Health authorities said most of the cases are linked to cross-border movement from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where patients reportedly entered Uganda seeking treatment.

According to the ministry, 10 of the 15 confirmed cases are Congolese nationals. The remaining five Ugandan cases are health workers who came into contact with infected patients during treatment.

Despite the rising case load, Museveni said surveillance, contact tracing, and response measures have been intensified, with containment efforts continuing alongside routine national operations.

Robust economic performance

During the event, Museveni delivered an upbeat assessment of Uganda’s economic performance, citing steady macro-economic gains and projecting stronger growth in the coming years.

He said the economy has expanded by about 7 percent over the past year, reaching an estimated $68.4 billion, while inflation remains stable at around 3.3 percent.

The President projected even faster expansion, driven by upcoming commercial oil production, with growth forecasts reaching as high as 10.2 percent.

Museveni also highlighted government efforts to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, noting that targets for the 2025/2026 financial year have been raised to sh37.2 trillion.

He said the Uganda Revenue Authority is expected to play a larger role in financing national priorities, as government seeks to reduce reliance on external borrowing and advance fiscal self-reliance.

However, Museveni warned that corruption, inefficiency, and internal weaknesses remain major obstacles to development.

“The real threat to Africa’s progress has been internal weaknesses… sectarianism and corruption,” he said.

The president urged the newly constituted 12th Parliament to strengthen oversight of public resources and ensure accountability across government programmes, while calling on public officials to improve performance and service delivery.

Museveni reiterated government commitment to transforming rural livelihoods through programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, which he said aim at integrating an estimated 3.5 million subsistence households into the money economy.

On governance and international relations, the President defended recent policy measures, including the Protection of Sovereignty Act, 2026, insisting that Uganda’s development trajectory must be determined internally.

“The foreigners interfering in our internal affairs are not a threat at all,” he said.

Museveni tasked the 12th Parliament to intensify oversight, eliminate waste, and accelerate implementation of national development priorities, framing the new term as one of heightened economic urgency and institutional discipline.

He also repeated remarks made during his May 12 swearing-in, warning against complacency in leadership.

“No more sleep for all Ugandans. With the advent of the NRM in 1986, the families that cared to listen to our message got out of poverty. With all these contributions by the Government, you must do your part in the two areas; wealth creation and job creation,” said Museveni.

On corruption and leadership discipline, the President struck a firmer tone, telling the 12th Parliament that accountability would be central to his administration’s agenda.