In his Sunday Monitor column of September 28, Mr Gawaya Tegulle wrote a piece titled, ‘2026 polls: Gen Mugisha Muntu – the stone that builders rejected’, where he made very patronising observations about Ugandans, especially the many millions who have continuously voted for President Museveni and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.
Using a barrage of overbearing English words, Bwana Gawaya thinks Ugandans are dimwits and have no brains to choose what is good for themselves.
In his view, Ugandans should accept whatever form of ‘indignation’ that comes their way because they repeatedly make the wrong decision of choosing President Museveni as their leader. How wrong he can get. Simple facts should inform Bwana Tegulle to appreciate why the majority of Ugandans are forever grateful to Yoweri Museveni and hence the continued trust.
President Museveni inherited a completely failed state in 1986. Imagine taking over a country that had seven presidents in a period of just 24 years. Indeed, we weren’t changing leadership through a democratic process, but changes were occasioned through military coups and brutal takeovers.
Since 2006, when the last group of war mongers of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) were completely defeated and fled to the Central African Republic, Uganda has had total peace from all corners of its territory. This peace and stability witnessed for the first time in very many years is what has led to massive Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in Uganda, hence creating the much-needed jobs, skills, innovations, plus growing the size of our economy.
Then one wonders why Ugandans are still voting Museveni.? Uganda’s economy has strengthened its resilience to domestic and external shocks and has been growing at an estimated six percent over the last 30 years.
In nominal terms, the size of the economy is now $66.3b compared to $1.5b in 1986. This growth is broad-based, including in agriculture, industry and services like ICT.
Uganda is on course to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning through universal education from primary to secondary levels. In this way, we have been able to restore gender parity with the enrolment of females and males almost balanced. Science and Technology remain high on the agenda of the country.
The government has increased funding to the education sector, and more classrooms have been constructed, and teachers deployed. Energy investments are transforming Uganda’s economy by promoting new industries, creating jobs, enhancing energy access, and driving economic diversification through renewable energy and oil production.
Uganda’s total electricity generation is 2,052MW following the completion of the 600-MW Karuma Hydropower Plant, compared to only 750MW that were available in 1986. The electricity transmission capacity has now increased to 4,218km of high voltage. The investment in infrastructure to support regional and international trade includes upgrading Entebbe airport and designating other airports for international traffic.
The focus on creating a seamless, multi-modal transport system aligned with national and regional development goals is unimaginable. The national paved road network has grown to about 6,850 from 1,000 by 1986.
Uganda’s tenfold growth strategy government is stepping up efforts to accelerate diversification of the economy, add value to raw materials to boost exports and import substitution to continue reducing our import bill, and also build more basic industries to produce items that Ugandans use daily, such as sugar, soap, cooking oil, medicines, construction materials, etc. Uganda continues to register improvements in the health sector.
Access to and utilisation of health services have significantly improved over the years, with the population living within a 5km radius of a health facility increasing to 86 percent. Therefore, as we prepare to go into the general election come January 2026, President Museveni’s progressive leadership will be without a doubt rewarded abundantly with another resounding victory.