President Museveni has called on members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to take a firm stand against corruption, urging them to elect leaders grounded in the party’s ideology and committed to national service rather than personal gain.
Speaking on Saturday at the NRM Electoral Commission Headquarters in Kyadondo, Kampala, where he officially picked nomination forms for both the NRM National Chairperson and Presidential Flag Bearer positions, Museveni emphasized that fighting corruption is crucial to achieving Uganda’s ambitious economic goals.
“This time, I want us to really wipe out corruption,” Museveni said, rallying members of his party to reject bribes and instead back leaders who embody integrity and a commitment to Uganda’s progress.
The President, accompanied by the First Lady Janet Museveni, underscored that Uganda is on the cusp of significant transformation.
With the economy currently valued at $50 billion, he declared that the country has the potential to grow tenfold to $500 billion—provided that it fully leverages its vast mineral wealth, agricultural potential, tourism appeal, and scientific innovation.
“Since 1986, Uganda has progressed through five stages of development, and the NRM aims for the country to become a $500 billion economy in the next five years,” Museveni stated.
He cited the mineral sector as a leading example of what strategic policy can accomplish.
Highlighting the success of the gold industry, Museveni noted how a ban on the export of unrefined gold triggered a boom in local refinery investments.
“When I stopped the export of non-refined gold, investors were forced to come here. That is why today, we have nine refineries. If we apply this same approach across the board, the economy will grow,” he said.
Uganda’s development roadmap to 2040, outlined by the Ministry of Finance, is anchored on four key pillars; Agro-industrialisation, Tourism, Mineral Development, and Science and Technology Innovation (ATMS).
Permanent Secretary Ramathan Ggoobi has identified coordination as the major hurdle in actualizing this vision.
As the 2026 General Elections approach, Museveni also called on party leaders to steer clear of divisive politics, urging a shift from “politics of personality” to issue-based engagement.
He extended appreciation to the newly elected NRM district chairpersons and advised them to exercise neutrality during the party primaries.
“I urged the newly elected NRM district chairpersons to maintain impartiality and steer clear of corruption,” Museveni said.
Dr. Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, confirmed that President Museveni must return the completed nomination forms by July 5.
Upon nomination, this will formally position him to contest as the NRM’s Presidential candidate in the 2026 General Elections.
