OWC officers urged to anchor their work in strong ideological grounding

Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) officers have been urged to anchor their work in strong ideological grounding as a driver of socio-economic transformation.

Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko, the Joint Staff political commissariat (JSPC) of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, made the call while addressing 358 officers during a retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi district.

Matsiko emphasised the central role of ideology in leadership and the UPDF’s political journey. 

“A leader grounded in ideology demonstrates stability and critical thinking, fully aligned with their responsibilities,” he said.

The army in a statement shared on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, said Matsiko likened leaders to doctors tasked with solving society’s challenges, noting that ideological training equips them with the clarity to address problems effectively.

He outlined two key objectives for revolutionary leaders: Broadening participation by both the educated and uneducated, and ensuring communities clearly understand OWC initiatives. 

“People must fully understand your initiatives to win their hearts and minds. To achieve your objectives, always consider the community as your strategic partner and front line of defence,” he stressed.

He further explained that ideological grounding enables leaders to appreciate the gains of struggle, independence and transformation. “Ideology empowers us to confront falsehoods based on an informed understanding of what is truly correct,” he said.

During the retreat, Uganda Development Forum chief executive officer Dr Edward Katende delivered a presentation on Uganda’s economic revolution, highlighting Musevenomics, an approach to economic management developed and applied over 39 years.

Katende called on OWC officers to understand and communicate its principles to communities. 

“You need to understand where Uganda’s economy has come from, where it stands today, and its future prospects. Currently, our economy is valued at $61 billion annually, a result of the president’s effective management of the economic sector,” he said.

He concluded by stressing that economics must be viewed as a practical discipline centred on action rather than theory.

The retreat seeks to strengthen OWC’s wealth creation agenda and improve service delivery across sectors.

OWC is a presidential initiative launched in 2013 by the Government, implemented by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).

Its main goal is to facilitate national socio-economic transformation by ending poverty, raising household incomes, and transforming subsistence farmers into commercial farmers.

It involves distributing farm inputs, providing training, and mobilizing the masses for commercial agriculture to empower the population and create wealth.