NEWS– President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged Ugandan students to love fellow citizens because they need them for their prosperity.
President Museveni made the remarks on Thursday November 16th 2023 at Kololo Independence Grounds while passing out over 45,000 students from different Secondary Schools in Kampala who underwent a patriotism course.
The President was in the company of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, said that apart from loving Uganda because it is moral duty, they need to love other Ugandans because you need them for your prosperity.
The participants were drawn from the 254 secondary schools in the five divisions of Kampala city. The training course ran under the theme: “Patriotism for socio-economic transformation”.
The President explained that when he launched the patriotism clubs in Uganda in February 2009, he talked about the different types of love which included among others, the love for Uganda which is very vital for all citizens since it immensely contributes to their wealth creation and prosperity.
“When I say love Uganda, I mean love all Ugandans, don’t discriminate but secondly, you need Uganda especially if you are a wealth creator like me who is a milk, beef and banana producer in Ntungamo and Rwakitura and with Maama and our children we produce all the three,” H.E Museveni said.
President Museveni further stressed that the people who don’t love and care for Uganda, are parasites who don’t wish any good for the country and have nothing to lose.
The President further appealed to the students to also love East Africa and Africa at large to be able to benefit from the external market for Ugandan products.
“As we wake up and produce more, we shall find that the internal market of Uganda is not enough, we need East Africa. Already you see the problem we have with maize, milk and cement, we need the East African market. That is why number two, we tell you to love East Africa. Why? Because we need it. Number three, we say love Africa because you also need it. The internal market is not enough, the East African market is not enough, you need the African market,” he emphasized.
President Museveni also urged the students to love the environment because it is crucial and responsible for the rains, water and the good temperatures in the country.
“You should also know how human beings have evolved in the four and half million years because then you will be able to know where Africa is now and why it is there and how we can move forward to be a prosperous and modern country.” He noted.
The President, on the other hand, cautioned the students against indiscipline acts like alcoholism, smoking and prostitution that could ruin their lives.
“When you love yourself, avoid alcohol, smoking and prostitution but also study and exercise and above all, fear God because in the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” He said.
President Museveni also promised that he was going to integrate the Youth Forum program with the patriotic movement which mainly deals with the safe living of the youth.
“We are going to get a budget for saving and focusing our youth,” he added.
The Vice President, Major Jessica Alupo Epel congratulated the trainees for finishing the course after undergoing rigorous training and called upon students to make the best use of the opportunity they have to be in school by using their time effectively and efficiently so that they become responsible citizens of Uganda who can add a brick to the development of the country.
On her part, Maama Janet Museveni lauded President Museveni for making the young people’s development a central part of his core program in Uganda.
“Thank you for always caring to nurture and guide these young people who are our future leaders tomorrow,” she said.
The First Lady also disclosed that the President launched patriotism clubs in schools in 2009 to inculcate norms and values among the youth and students in secondary schools.
“From that time, we have promoted patriotism in schools and over 4,000 institutions now have clubs and are working to instil patriotism into our students,” Maama Janet Museveni said.
She also implored the students to go back and build a culture of patriotism within their schools by practising the values and skills they have acquired from the course.
The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda said the NRM’s four core principles of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic transformation and democracy have been key in converting the country from a failed state in the 1980s to a prospering and healthy democracy.
The Minister stressed that patriotism is a strong pillar of development since it is the basis of strong homes, admirable communities and respectable nations.
“Your Excellency sir, what we are witnessing today is a key milestone for the Kampala Metropolitan area which is the heart and engine of Uganda in nearly everything. This kind of training is the medicine to deal with the challenge in Kampala where our young people are being misled into illegal activities that have the potential to not only cut short their lives but to cripple development and promote hatred of the government.” She said.
The Commissioner- Patriotism in the Office of the President, Ms. Hellen Seku thanked President Museveni and Maama Janet for their unwavering support and commitment to the patriotism program.
“I want to sincerely thank you for appointing and entrusting me with the task of awakening the patriotism clubs in Uganda that have lost direction for the last seven years. I pledge to deliver with utmost loyalty and commitment,” Ms Seku said.
Ms Seku further thanked the Ministry of Education and Sports under Maama Janet Museveni for the efforts to ensure that patriotism is very active in schools and also thanked Maama Janet Museveni for her efforts at the ministry to change the ordinary-level curriculum which has created space for the full integration of patriotism activities in schools, but reported to the President that the international schools in the country have refused to embrace the patriotism program.
The event was also attended by Prime Minister Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja, Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon Dr Chris Baryomunsi, NRM Secretary General, Hon Richard Todwong, among other dignitaries.
