President Yoweri Museveni has urged National Resistance Movement (NRM) delegates to play a leading role in fighting corruption at the local government level and ensuring that government services reach the people.
While addressing delegates of the NRM Special Interest Groups (SIGs) at Kololo Independence Grounds on Monday morning, President Museveni outlined Uganda’s economic journey, highlighting its expansion from US 3.9 billion dollars in 1986 to the current US 66 billion and said the country is now working towards becoming a high middle-income economy worth US 500 billion dollars.
The President who was accompanying his wife Mrs Janet Kataha Museveni who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, explained that the economy has gone through five key phases: minimum recovery, expansion of production, diversification, value addition, and the current phase of the knowledge economy.
He cited innovations such as the locally developed Kira electric buses, vaccine production, and computer manufacturing as signs of progress and emphasized the need for all Ugandans to join the money economy.
“In 2013, 68% of homesteads were outside the money economy. Today, 67% are in, but 33% remain out. Every family must produce for both food and cash,” President Museveni said.
On the issue of good governance, President Museveni tasked the delegates to ensure that corruption is uprooted, especially at the local level and strongly warned against bribery in local government recruitment and urged citizens to hold leaders accountable for service delivery.
“Don’t allow corrupt people to undermine your progress. Stop those who steal public funds or take bribes,” He said.
The President also called on leaders and citizens to ensure proper maintenance of roads, monitor the performance of the police in fighting crime, and safeguard free education in government schools and expressed concern that despite government funding, some schools still charge parents illegal fees, frustrating poor families.
On healthcare, Museveni decried the theft of medicines from hospitals and urged communities to expose wrongdoers, but emphasized the importance of safe water access, education, and healthcare as foundations for improved welfare.
President Museveni concluded by encouraging Ugandans to fight poverty, corruption, and crime, while embracing education, healthcare and clean water as pathways to prosperity.
While speaking at the same ceremony, the NRM Secretary General Hon Richard Todwong reminded delegates to put the party above personal interests and urged members to foster unity, stressing that internal competition should not create enmity.
“We are members of a family. Focus on the bigger picture of the party—the mission, objectives, and goals—rather than personal ambitions,” Hon Todwong said.
The NRM Delegates Conference which started today ends on Thursday after elections of of all Special Interest Group Leaders and NRM Main Stream that include Regional Vice Presidents.
