As a Party, we take pride in the visionary leadership of Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, which has transformed this country in the last 40 years. Under the NRM, President Museveni has presided over a strong economy which has been growing at steady rate of 6.5 per cent in the last 20 years, with a cumulative GDP of now more than 63 billion USD. Mzee has guided our leaders, policy makers and technocrats to formulate a 10-fold-growth strategy to expand our economy to 500billion USD by 2040 by enhancing the export base, human and physical capital, and the knowledge economy. Key sectors such as oil and minerals, commercial agriculture with value addition, tourism, ICT and the private sector are expected to drive this transformation.
There can’t be meaningful transformation without real peace, security and stability of the nation. President Museveni’s leadership has restored peace and order, which has been the greatest catalyst to the accelerated growth and development we are witnessing. For the first time in the history of the Great Lakes region, Uganda has achieved total peace from border to border in 500 years. Following the dividends of peace, Ugandans are waking up to production. Areas like Northern Uganda, parts of the East including Teso which had been ravaged by a senseless war occasioned by the ideologically bankrupt criminal elements are now centres of production, industrialisation, and private capital investments. We commend the wealth creation initiatives under President Museveni’s strategic guidance including the Operation Wealth Creation; Parish Development Model; Emyooga; Youth Livelihood Programme; the Women Entrepreneurship Fund; the Elders Fund; etc, that have significantly reduced poverty and enhanced incomes at household level, created wealth and jobs for the country’s youthful population. With these consolidated efforts, the percentage of the population in subsistence economy has reduced to 32 percent from 68 percent about five years ago. We can confidently say that Ugandans are a happier lot today than they were 40 years ago with children going to school; more mothers giving birth in health centres; children being immunized from common diseases; more roads being constructed and tarmacked; more people accessing electricity; more people using telephones and internet; more young people finding jobs in factories; etc.
Following the above achievements registered under the visionary leadership of President Museveni, we as the Party in power and Ugandans at large could only consolidate the gains by continuing to support our winning team captain. We cannot trust power in the hands of some people whose only interest is regime change at whatever cost to the country. Such elements have proved over time that they are ideologically bankrupt, have no strategic direction, and are shooting aimlessly. One Chinese scholar stated that, “A population guided by a clear vision moves faster than one drowning in disorder.”
Uganda needs a leader who is tested, trusted and measured. Such a leader is good for long-term stability. Stability is better than democratic chaos. Long-term construction of a nation requires avoiding impulsive changes in leadership. This is the very reason as to why China has been able to achieve mega projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, the development of mega cities, or technological dominance which are planned across generations owing to stable leadership.
We should emulate the democratic principles of China where power is not earned through emotional ballots, but through Discipline, Competence, Rigour and Proof. In China, they don’t play with the future of the nation. They give responsibility to those who have proven they can carry the weight of reality. They have also discovered that competence outweighs popular opinion: a nation or company grows when it is led by the most competent- not the loudest. In 40 years, China swiftly rose from a developing country to the second most developed power, and soon will be the first.
General Museveni over time has demonstrated his competence not just in Uganda, but also as regional and global statesman. He has proven to be a great asset in fostering regional peace and stability, regional and continental integration championing larger markets, and correctly diagnosing Africa’s strategic challenges or bottlenecks. The future of Africa needs foresighted and bold leaders like General Museveni whose call is for the unity of the African Continent especially at such a time when the world is facing emerging threats and challenges ranging from modern terrorism, ideological shifts (West vs East), climate change, technological disruptions, etc.
Allow me conclude by thanking our countrymen and women for supporting the NRM all these years, and continuing to vote President Museveni after every five years. I also thank our great men and women in the Armed Forces for tirelessly working to secure our nation. This is not to forget the civil servants who keep the State running by implementing NRM policies and programmes. Most fundamentally, we thank Mzee for heeding the call of the Bazzukulu to “continue on the Main”. This time round, NRM and President Museveni are set to win with a landslide.
The Writer is the National Treasurer, NRM
