President Museveni speaks out on capture of Venezuela's Maduro

________________

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has warned that the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States of America underscores the urgent need for Africa to strengthen its strategic security across land, sea, air and space.

Speaking during an interactive engagement on Sunday (January 4) with young Ugandans, dubbed "Jazz with Jajja", at State Lodge Nakasero, Museveni said the incident highlights the dangers faced by weaker or fragmented regions in the global arena.

The engagement, hosted by First Daughter Natasha Museveni Karugire, brought together content creators, journalists, digital entrepreneurs and influencers, who were allowed to directly engage the President on pressing issues affecting the continent and their livelihoods.

“The time is now for Africans to realise the problem at hand and see how to deal with it,” he said.

While details surrounding the arrest are still unfolding, Museveni said the episode exposes global power imbalances.

“I don’t know what they are fighting for because Americans are saying that some of the Latin Americans are sending drugs to the USA, but we shall learn more,” he added.

“But whatever the case, you can see the gaps I am telling you about.”

Museveni cautioned that Africa risks remaining vulnerable if it fails to build economic strength, political unity and strategic capacity.

He stressed that global powers are rapidly advancing in military technology and space exploration, leaving African countries exposed if they do not invest in strategic preparedness.

“The Americans, the Chinese, the Russians, and the Indians are on the moon,” he said. “We are here. They see us. We don’t see them. This is dangerous.”

Addressing the youth, particularly digital influencers and content creators, Museveni urged them to use their platforms to engage with existential issues affecting Africa rather than focusing solely on entertainment or trivial matters.

“What are you influencing?” he asked. “People are on the moon, and we are here.”

“It is interesting that many young people talk about dancing and football, which are good, but rarely talk about the regional market,” Museveni said.

“Those things are a pleasure, but you must first have the basics.”

He linked Africa’s strategic vulnerability to broader economic and political challenges, noting that weak economies and fragmented states are easier to exploit during periods of global conflict.

Museveni emphasised that prosperity, unity and technological advancement are inseparable from security.

“Without economic strength, political cohesion, and strategic capability, Africa will remain exposed to the whims of more powerful nations,” he said.

The President further warned that Africa’s youth must develop a deeper understanding of how wealth and influence are created and protected.

“Prosperity does not come from begging,” he said. “It comes from producing a good or service and selling it sustainably, with ekibaro (calculation).”

He explained that Africa’s fragmented markets and limited integration weaken its bargaining power on the global stage, leaving the continent vulnerable to external pressure. In contrast, he noted, nations that combine economic, technological and military capability are better positioned to protect their interests internationally.

Museveni called for renewed regional and continental cooperation as part of Africa’s response to emerging global strategic challenges.

“We need to build economic strength and political unity,” he said. “We must develop capacity across land, sea, air, and space so that no foreign power can intimidate or dominate us.”