Museveni outlines six dev’t pillars for Uganda in 7th presidential term
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has outlined six key pillars that he says will guide Uganda’s development in his next term, following his nomination by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission to contest in the 2026 general election.
Museveni was today officially nominated by Dr Tanga Odoi, chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, at the party headquarters in Kampala to contest as the party’s presidential flag bearer. He was unopposed.
Museveni was also nominated unopposed as chairperson of the NRM party, a position he currently holds. Shortly after his nomination, Museveni expressed gratitude to his legal team and seconders who helped collect endorsement signatures across Uganda’s districts, acknowledging the effort it took to fulfill all requirements.
He noted that Uganda’s continued transformation must be anchored on six fundamental elements: peace, development, wealth creation, job creation, access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and spirituality.
He emphasized that these components are critical for any nation aiming for sustainable growth and long-term stability. He also warned against any threats to national peace, stating that Uganda will not tolerate actions that risk plunging the country back into conflict.
“Peace and security are prerequisites for development and wealth creation,” he noted.
On the issue of poverty, Museveni stressed that wealth and poverty are individual experiences. While the government provides infrastructure and shared public goods, he argued, individuals and households must take responsibility for actively pursuing wealth. Museveni observed that despite national progress, poverty remains widespread in urban ghettos.
He said that many youths remain stagnant because they wait for government jobs instead of pursuing other opportunities. He called for greater support for private sector investment, warning that some investors are being discouraged by operational challenges.
He emphasized the need for a more enabling environment to create jobs and drive economic expansion. In his address, Museveni urged Ugandans to base their support on historical and practical realities rather than emotion.
He reflected on Uganda’s turbulent post-independence period, marked by political fragmentation and institutional collapse. Between 1962 and 1971, he said, the country experienced the breakdown of key institutions such as the army, judiciary, and civil service.
He cited the murder of chief justice Benedicto Kiwanuka as a stark example of the lawlessness that characterized that era. Museveni said that since the NRM came to power in 1986, the government has focused on liberation, stabilization, and modernization.
He highlighted progress in diversifying the economy, expanding infrastructure, and promoting value addition in agriculture and industry including in automobile manufacturing and mineral processing. He reported that Uganda’s economy has grown 16-fold since 1986, lifting the country out of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category.
However, he cautioned that greater progress could be achieved if corruption is decisively addressed. The President expressed optimism that Uganda could soon attain middle-income status, with a GDP of Shs 500 billion, which he described as a “qualitative leap,” provided that governance challenges like corruption are overcome.
He also revealed growing interest from international investors, including those interested in manufacturing gold jewellery locally, citing Uganda’s pure gold reserves. As he seeks another term, Museveni asked for divine guidance and committed to working with NRM structures to ensure that Uganda does not miss out on the global transformation that bypassed Africa during Europe’s industrial revolution.
Museveni will now wait to contest with candidates nominated by other political parties in the 2026 general elections.
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