As Uganda celebrates increasing school enrollment and improved healthcare access, President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stark warning against what he termed “internal saboteurs” within the public service and political class—accusing them of undermining key government initiatives, especially free education, healthcare, and land governance.
Addressing over 200 Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Town Clerks, and Under Secretaries at State House Entebbe, Museveni called for urgent reforms in leadership integrity and public service delivery. The officials had just completed a two-week training at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, focused on building a more transformative public sector.
The President took aim at school administrators and local leaders who continue to charge illegal fees in government-aided schools, undermining Uganda’s Universal Primary and Secondary Education (UPE/USE) programs.
“Why has the political class failed to understand the importance of Boona Basome—education for all?” he asked. “We see a drop in numbers between Primary Seven and Secondary. Head teachers are sabotaging free education by demanding illegal fees from parents.”
He also criticized the growing trend of boarding schools being disguised as public institutions, asserting that day schooling is the most equitable model.
“We don’t need boarding schools to provide free education,” he said. “Let children sleep at home. These extra costs are crushing poor families.”
Museveni further condemned the persistent theft of medicines in government health facilities, calling it a betrayal of public trust even as Uganda makes strides in disease prevention.
“The theft of drugs is a major irritant,” he said. “Immunization is working—we have proof that diseases like measles and polio have been eliminated. But corruption in our health system still causes needless suffering.”
He urged administrative officers to strengthen accountability mechanisms and ensure essential health supplies reach intended recipients.
The President also censured security personnel involved in land conflicts, noting that rogue elements within the army are harming civilians and damaging the UPDF’s reputation.
“The army’s role is to protect Uganda’s borders—not to patrol land boundaries,” he emphasized, announcing plans for an Executive Order to bar soldiers from interfering in land matters. He stressed the importance of safeguarding landowners—especially smallholders—to achieve real socio-economic transformation.
Turning to economic empowerment, Museveni reaffirmed the relevance of the NRM’s Four-Acre Model—an initiative launched in 1996 to help families with small landholdings generate income through intensive farming.
He encouraged backyard poultry, piggery, and fish farming, noting that diversified small-scale agriculture could lift millions out of poverty if properly implemented.
“If you only work for the stomach and ignore the pocket, you’ll stay poor,” he warned. “But if we combine free education, free healthcare, and wealth creation, Uganda will rise.”
Museveni’s remarks were both a critique and a call to action. He urged CAOs and town clerks to enforce national programs more effectively and serve with integrity and ideological clarity.
“We must eliminate service delivery irritants to restore public confidence and accelerate development,” he said.
The President’s address was both a warning and a roadmap. Failures in education, healthcare, and land management are not policy failures, he argued—they are failures of enforcement, ethics, and political will.
By exposing internal saboteurs and renewing his vision for grassroots transformation, Museveni placed responsibility squarely on the shoulders of technocrats and political leaders alike.
Whether this marks a true turning point will depend not on new laws or increased funding—but on whether those entrusted with public service rise to the challenge with purpose, integrity, and action.