President Yoweri Museveni has urged political leaders to accurately diagnose the challenges facing their societies to offer effective solutions.
Drawing a parallel between political leaders and medical doctors, Museveni stressed that a misdiagnosis could lead to the demise of society.
“A political leader, like a medical doctor, must perform an accurate diagnosis. If the diagnosis is incorrect, the patient – in this case, society – will perish,” Museveni said while delivering a lecture to officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces War Course at State House Entebbe.
The President attributed Africa’s historical underdevelopment and instability to the ideological disorientation of its leaders before, during, and after colonialism. He argued that many leaders focused on politics of identity based on tribe, religion, and race, which hindered progress.
“In the 1960s, when we formed a student movement, we analyzed Uganda’s problems and identified three key issues,” Museveni explained. “The first problem was the lack of prosperity. Despite abundant natural resources, our people lacked prosperity, which includes good housing, food, medical care, education, and improved transport.”
Museveni emphasized that prosperity stems from every adult participating in producing goods or services and selling them sustainably. He underscored the importance of “ekibaro” – a local term for calculating profitability – to ensure that economic activities are beneficial.
The President also highlighted the four core principles of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for achieving prosperity: patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation, and strategic security. He explained that prosperity is not tied to tribal or religious identity but rather to the broader Ugandan market and external markets in Africa.
“Patriotism is our first principle – love Uganda because you need it for your prosperity. Uganda provides a better market for our goods than relying on tribe or religion,” Museveni said. “Our second principle is Pan-Africanism. When there is surplus production, we need external markets in Africa to sell our goods, promoting unity and mutual prosperity across the continent.”
He cited socio-economic transformation as the third principle, which involves shifting from subsistence farming to market-oriented production to boost economic growth. Museveni asserted that these principles have driven Uganda’s progress from a failed state to its current status as a low-middle-income country, with aspirations to achieve high-middle-income status in the next 20 years.
The President also underscored the need for strategic security to safeguard Uganda and other African nations from external threats, emphasizing political integration, particularly within East Africa.
“Strategic security is essential. Even if Uganda becomes a first-world country, it will still need to guard against threats,” Museveni said. “That is why we advocate for the Political Federation of East Africa to strengthen our collective security and economic potential.”
During the lecture, Museveni highlighted the importance of unity, or “ubuntu,” as a guiding principle for political cooperation and development. He expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration between Uganda and Asian partners, acknowledging their contributions to Africa’s liberation struggle.
The lecture was attended by a delegation from the National Defence College (NDC) of Bangladesh, including faculty members and officers. The group, led by Group Captain Hassan Mahmoud, was on a study tour to understand Uganda’s economic and geopolitical landscape.
“We are grateful to President Museveni for his hospitality and the profound insights shared during his lecture,” said Lt. Col. Abdul Rahim of NDC-Bangladesh. “His vision and commitment to fostering international partnerships are truly inspiring, and we look forward to continued cooperation between Uganda and Bangladesh.”
The visit underscored the importance of global collaboration and mutual understanding in achieving national and regional development goals.
