President Museveni Traces Uganda’s Economic Recovery Since 1986

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has traced Uganda’s economic recovery journey since 1986, describing the first 24 years following Independence as a period marked by conflict and lost development opportunities.

This year’s virtual Independence Day celebrations was held at State House, Entebbe, under the theme “Enabling Our Sovereignty with Hope and Visionary Leadership,” and President Museveni recalled how Uganda’s progress following Independence in 1962 was disrupted by years of conflict.

He noted that it was until the National Resistance Movement  took power in 1986 and embarked on efforts to restore peace, stability and economic development.

President Museveni explained that Uganda has since 1986 undergone five stages of economic recovery and transformation and this include minimum economic recovery, economic expansion, value addition and the knowledgeable economy, which focuses on scientific innovation and knowledge-based solutions.

The President congratulated Ugandans on the country’s 64th Independence anniversary, urging them to actively participate in national development through wealth creation at all levels of society.

He projected Uganda’s economy to grow steadily to US 73.5 billion dollars by July next year, highlighting major strategic infrastructure projects aimed at accelerating economic growth and transformation.

President Museveni notes that Uganda’s economy, currently valued at US 69.3 billion dollars, has grown from approximately US 3.9 billion dollars in 1986, when the country’s economy had virtually collapsed, attributing the recovery and subsequent growth to the NRM government’s leadership and economic policies.

The President highlighted the government’s commitment to implementing major strategic projects to strengthen Uganda’s economy, including railway transport for cargo, an oil pipeline for transporting petroleum products, and railway connections to Karamoja and other key regional destinations.

He explained that these investments are intended to improve the movement of goods, reduce pressure on the road network and enhance the efficiency of Uganda’s transport systems.

The President said that roads will increasingly be reserved for passenger transport and light cargo, while railways will handle bulk freight, and urged opinion leaders across the country to engage communities in advancing wealth creation efforts and ensuring that all households participate in the money economy.

President Museveni directed leaders to identify households still living under subsistence lifestyles and guide them towards enrolling in government wealth creation and socioeconomic empowerment programmes, including the Parish Development Model and other initiatives.

He said that the 33 percent of Ugandans still living outside the money economy should be a concern for all leaders, urging them to guide these households towards sustainable income-generating activities and help them access available government support programmes. 

He has also highlighted Uganda’s journey towards economic empowerment under his leadership since the National Resistance Movement came to power.

President Museveni highlighted plans to expand industrial processing and value addition across key economic sectors as Uganda pursues its target of growing the economy to US 500 billion dollars.

He identified iron ore processing through steel manufacturing plants in Kabale and Tororo districts, enhanced tea processing, gold refining and oil refining among the strategic interventions aimed at increasing the value of Uganda’s natural resources.

President Museveni has emphasized the need for Uganda to move away from exporting raw materials and instead process them into finished and intermediate products locally to generate more income, create employment and strengthen industrial development. 

He reaffirmed government’s commitment to expanding national irrigation schemes to protect agriculture from the effects of prolonged dry spells and other weather-related challenges and described the recent dry spell as a wake-up call, underscoring the need for Uganda to strengthen irrigation infrastructure and reduce overreliance on rainfall for agricultural production.

President Museveni said that  expanding irrigation will enable farmers to maintain production even during periods of limited rainfall, helping to safeguard household incomes, ensure food security and strengthen the country’s agricultural productivity.

President Museveni was awarded the Order of the Commander-in-Chief, a Uganda Prisons Service medal, following the decoration of 19 other distinguished leaders in recognition of their respective contributions, during the national Independence Day celebrations.

The list of awardees was presented by UPDF Joint Staff for Formal Education, Sports and Culture, Maj Gen Richard Kiremire who also served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Awards Chancery.

While speaking at the same event, the Vice President of Uganda, Maj Jessica Alupo, has reaffirmed  Uganda’s path towards achieving the tenfold economic growth agenda through the four ATMS strategy which include,  Agro-industrialisation, Tourism development, Mineral-based industrialisation and Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Vice President Alupo commended the harmonisation of key economic sectors as a critical step towards advancing Uganda’s economic independence, noting that the country is building on achievements in peace and security, national unity, development and women’s empowerment, among other areas.

The Minister for the Presidency, Hon Milly Babirye Babalanda, said that Ugandans must now focus on achieving economic independence to complement the political independence and secure the country’s ultimate sovereignty.

Minister Babalanda emphasizes the need for Ugandans to safeguard the country’s independence gains by resisting actions that undermine national sovereignty and derail the country’s development agenda as she calls for strengthened efforts to combat corruption, warning against practices that undermine national progress and frustrate government development initiatives.

She urged Ugandans to embrace the fight against corruption as a collective responsibility while promoting wealth creation at all levels to improve livelihoods and accelerate socioeconomic transformation.