Museveni stresses NRM role principles in driving wealth, devt

Oct 10, 2024

On the issue of income-generating activities, President Museveni said that all the zones, tribes, religions and gender groups of Uganda, need Uganda for their prosperity and affluence.

President Museveni noted that a country cannot produce modern goods and services unless it promotes socio-economic transformation from the capitalist modes of social organisations. (Credit: PPU)

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BUSIA - President Yoweri Museveni has underscored the crucial role of the four core principles of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in the creation of wealth and development.

“With the four ideological principles and the three historical missions, we have been able to achieve progress in five phases.

These are the minimum recovery of the enclave economy, expanding the small island of the money economy, diversifying the economy, adding value to the raw materials and promoting industrialization and entering the knowledge economy,” he said on Wednesday afternoon.

President Museveni greets Faustin Archange Touadéra, the President of the Central African Republic (CAR), who was his official guest. (Credit: PPU)

President Museveni who was in company of Faustin Archange Touadéra, the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) was addressing thousands while officiating the 62nd Independence Day Anniversary celebrations.

The colourful event was held at Busikho Teachers Demonstration Primary School grounds in Busia District.

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The Busia event is one of the engagements lined up for President Touadéra who commenced his three-day official visit to Uganda on Tuesday.

The Independence celebrations country-wide were held under the theme: “Independence Day: A Recommitment to Secure and Fortify Our Destiny”.

On the issue of income-generating activities, President Museveni said that all the zones, tribes, religions and gender groups of Uganda, need Uganda for their prosperity and affluence.

“Once a zone produces goods or services, the next assistance to the effort of wealth and affluence creation would come from other zones of Uganda, that is why Uganda became very crucial for the wealth creation of the different zones. That is how we came up with the first principle of the NRM- patriotism. Love Uganda, why? It is because you need it for your prosperity,” he said.

Museveni added, "However soon after we discovered that even Uganda was not enough, we needed East Africa and Africa for a bigger market. Hence our second principle of Pan-Africanism. Love Africa, why? It is because you need it for your prosperity", he said according to a release from the Presidential Press Unit.

President Museveni also noted that a country cannot produce modern goods and services unless it promotes socio-economic transformation from the capitalist modes of social organisations.

“This brings me to our third ideological principle of socio-economic transformation. Our fourth ideological principle is democracy so that people are able to hold their leaders accountable for their actions or inactions," he stated.

The President also said that the historical missions of the NRM which include prosperity, strategic security and applying the brotherhood of the African people have been key in keeping the government focused as far as the journey of transforming Uganda is concerned.

He also implored all Ugandans to add value to Uganda's raw materials if the country is to achieve the desired socio-economic transformation.

“We realised the big problem of Africa and other colonies has been the issue of producing only raw materials. This has been a disaster for Africa. Uganda may get US dollars 2.5 per kg of bean coffee, the same kilogram roasted and turned into coffee powder and packed outside may fetch USD 40.

As a consequence of this, from a global value of coffee of US dollars 460 billion, the coffee growing countries in the world get only US dollars 25 billion and Africa gets only US dollars 2.5 billion,” he said.

In his analysis, Museveni added that “Germany, a non-coffee growing country, earns US dollars 65 billion more than all the coffee growing countries in the world. This is how the colonies and neo-colonies have been donating money, jobs and development Energies to Europe and North America. Therefore, we have been deliberately taking steps to end this betrayal by African leaders. In spite of the opposition, we have succeeded in some items like milk, textile, tin, cement, gold, cassava etc.”

On the other hand, the President assured Ugandans that the country has successfully entered the knowledge economy of automobiles, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and computer assembling, among other products.

He further stated that to boost the economy, the government is working on improving the railway and other vital infrastructure.

“With our oil resources, we are going to fund this. The importance of the railway is to lower transport costs thus making it easier for businesses to make profits. We are already handling electricity. With low costs of doing business, Uganda becomes more attractive to business operators,” he said.

“It is estimated that by the end of June 2025, the economy of Uganda will be US dollars 57.5 billion by the exchange rate method and US dollars 163 billion by the PPP method. That's even before extracting our oil. By maintaining our steady focus on various initiatives, we are set to grow our economy to US dollars 500 billion.” said Museveni.

The President also urged Ugandans to take advantage of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to join the money economy.

“According to the latest census data, 67 percent of our people are in the money economy because of our initiatives like PDM, Emyooga, NAADS. It is the 33 percent that are still out of the money economy,” he stated.

On the other hand, President Museveni thanked his counterpart president Touadéra of the Central African Republic for joining Ugandans as they celebrate the independence anniversary.

“The Central African Republic will become a good trade partner for East Africa. Central Africa is just after Congo and South Sudan and together with Central Africa we want to persuade the government of Congo and that of South Sudan that we work on the roads that connect East Africa to the Central African Republic,” said Museveni.

“I also encourage Uganda Airlines and our air cargo companies to look at the possibility of flying to Bangui so that we can link up and facilitate travel and ferrying of cargo,” he advised.

Commenting about the colourful celebrations, President Museveni commended the UPDF Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kaneirugaba for rationalising the army parade by making it shorter.

“Instead of the army parade standing there the whole day, they have now done their part and they have gone.”

Col Deo Akiiki, Deputy Director public information of the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) commanded the parade consisting of Uganda People's Defence Forces, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Services and Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers.

While greeting the mammoth gathering, President Touadéra expressed his deep appreciation and thanks to President Museveni for inviting him to participate in the important celebrations.

President Touadéra also thanked President Museveni for transforming Uganda through his able and wise leadership.

“Allow me to specifically thank President Museveni for effectively representing the people of Uganda for all these years. He has indeed transformed Uganda into a good country of national reconciliation. We came here because he is a person who inspires us a lot.”

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The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda used the occasion to inform the President that a section of Ugandans are still locked up in the mentality of working only for the “stomach”.

She added that ignoring the commercial value of their product is one of the biggest challenges that have delayed Uganda from attaining middle-income status.

“However, I commend the NRM leadership for promoting commercial agriculture and enabling every Ugandan to enter the money economy,” she said.

The minister also commended Museveni's leadership for the stability and socio-economic transformation of this country.”

At the same event, 40 distinguished Ugandans were awarded medals for their exceptional contribution towards the development of Uganda.

Dignitaries at the events included: the Vice President, Jessica Alupo, Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, Vice Chairman of NRM, Moses Kigongo, the Prime Minister. Robinah Nabbanja, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama, NRM Secretary General, Richard Todwong, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Security Officers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, and cultural and religious leaders, among others.