By Diana Kintu.
On the occasion of Uganda’s 63rd Independence Day, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni delivered a speech reflecting on the country’s journey from a troubled past to its current economic growth and outlining key plans for the future.
The President began by acknowledging the difficult early years of independence, recalling a time when the economy had collapsed and the country was plagued by violence. “Between 1971 and 1986, an estimated 800,000 Ugandans were killed extra-judicially,” he stated, using this sombre history to highlight the peace and stability that followed.
He then shared positive news about the economy, reporting that it is now growing rapidly. “I am, therefore, most happy to report to the Ugandans that by June 2026, the economy of Uganda will be USD 66.9 billion in size,” he said. He announced that the economy is expected to grow by 7% this financial year and predicted that this growth would reach double-digits after the country begins exporting oil.
The President traced this success back to a series of steps taken since 1986, starting with the recovery of traditional crops like coffee and cotton, then diversifying into products like milk and bananas, and now moving towards adding value to raw materials and building a “knowledge economy” based on science and technology. “Uganda is, therefore, unstoppable,” he declared.
Looking ahead, President Museveni identified two major goals: the economic and political integration of East Africa. He explained that a united East Africa would create a larger market for Ugandan products and a stronger defence force capable of protecting the region.
A significant part of his address focused on a challenge within the government: the practice of “Kumemerera” – which he described as scattering resources too thinly over too many projects. He used the progress on roads as an example, noting that while Uganda has expanded its tarmac road network from 1,000 km in 1986 to 6,288 km today, some roads have deteriorated because funds were not focused on priority maintenance.
To solve this, the President insisted on a return to strict budgeting priorities. His strong proposal is to concentrate government spending on a clear list of sectors: defence, roads, electricity, education, health, water, railways, wealth creation programs like the Parish Development Model, science and innovation, and salaries for key public servants like scientists and security personnel. He argued that this focused approach is what enabled past growth, asking, “How would our economy be growing at 7% if I had not, in 2006, insisted on prioritising the roads and electricity?”
He also called upon the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to improve tax collection, noting that if they collected 20% of GDP instead of the current 13–14%, the government would have an additional Shillings 47 trillion to fund development projects.
The speech also highlighted social progress, with the President sharing that life expectancy has risen from 43 years to 68 years, and the literacy rate has improved from 43% to 80% since 1986, despite the population growing significantly.
In a concluding message of reconciliation, President Museveni welcomed back former soldier Col. Samson Mande, who had been in exile, praised his past service and his decision to return peacefully. He ended by saluting all peace-loving Ugandans and the UPDF for maintaining the stability that allows for development.