President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged leaders of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to intensify efforts aimed at promoting wealth creation, strengthening accountability, and improving service delivery across the country.
The President made the call during a meeting with NRM Chairpersons for districts, cities, municipalities, and divisions held at State House Entebbe.
Addressing the leaders in his capacity as National Chairman of the NRM, President Museveni congratulated them upon their victory in the recently concluded elections.
He observed that the latest electoral cycle reflected a stronger sense of national cohesion compared to previous contests.
He likened the renewed unity to the atmosphere that characterized the 1996 elections, when, he noted, the population strongly rallied behind the NRM due to its problem-solving approach.
The President attributed this cohesion to what he described as “okukyenura” — leadership that responds to people’s needs.
He explained that this approach was demonstrated in the early years of NRM governance through the restoration of security by building a disciplined national army and stabilizing essential commodities such as sugar, which had previously been scarce and unaffordable.
President Museveni said that after 1996, new challenges such as household poverty became more visible.
He revealed that this realization prompted the introduction of revolving funds at the sub-county level in 1997 to support wealth creation initiatives.
He added that subsequent interventions, including the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), were rolled out to distribute seedlings and boost agricultural productivity.
He, however, noted that despite these interventions, a significant percentage of the population remained outside the money economy.
The President said this reality informed the introduction of the Parish Development Model (PDM), a strategy designed to channel funds directly to beneficiaries at the parish level.
He explained that the model empowers parish committees to determine allocation transparently, thereby ensuring that resources reach intended beneficiaries without distortion.
President Museveni observed that PDM is performing well in some districts.
He disclosed that additional funding would be injected into the program to enhance its impact.
He urged party leaders to closely monitor its implementation to safeguard its objectives and prevent misuse of funds.
On education, the President said the NRM foresaw a looming crisis in access to schooling and consequently introduced free education policies to expand opportunities for learners.
He expressed concern, however, over what he termed as sabotage by some teachers.
He also faulted insufficient oversight by leaders tasked with supervising education institutions.
President Museveni further raised concern about corruption in public service delivery.
He cited allegations that some District Service Commissions are selling jobs, undermining merit and fairness in recruitment.
He also pointed to cases of land grabbing and the theft of medicines from government health facilities as examples of practices that erode public trust.
He urged NRM leaders to intensify supervision at all levels and ensure accountability in the management of public resources.
Turning to infrastructure, the President criticized poor road maintenance and substandard public works.
He attributed part of the problem to weak budgeting priorities, including the creation of new districts and municipalities at the expense of services that directly benefit the masses.
On job creation, President Museveni emphasized that agriculture remains the primary source of employment for the majority of Ugandans.
He noted that manufacturing and services are critical for generating higher-value jobs and expanding the country’s economic base.
He pledged that in the coming term, he will produce more literature focused on addressing the needs of the masses and consolidating socio-economic transformation.
The President stressed that beyond programs such as PDM and Emyooga, there is a need to strengthen the private sector.
He highlighted the importance of affordable financing, particularly through the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), to enable enterprises to expand production and create more jobs.
President Museveni added that once production challenges are resolved, attention must shift to markets.
He noted that local consumers are the first buyers and form the foundation of sustainable demand.
He explained that increasing household incomes will stimulate demand for products such as milk, cement, and steel.
He observed that sustained growth in domestic consumption would eventually necessitate expansion into regional markets, positioning Uganda as a competitive player within East Africa and beyond.
The NRM Deputy Secretary General, Hon. Rose Namayanja, congratulated President Museveni on what she described as a landslide presidential victory.
She said the outcome reflects the NRM’s commitment to visionary leadership and service delivery.
The NRM Chairperson for Gulu District, Mr. Christopher Ochen, thanked the President for empowering party structures to effectively campaign during the elections.
He said this support contributed significantly to the overwhelming backing received by the party.
Mr. Ochen requested that district chairpersons be incorporated into District Executive Committees to enhance their capacity to supervise government programs.
Mr. JB Wamala Ssalongo, NRM Chairperson for Mukono Municipality, appealed for municipality and city chairpersons to be represented on the National Executive Committee, similar to their district counterparts.
He said this would ensure inclusive participation in party decision-making and strengthen coordination between national and local structures.
