President Museveni on Thursday delivered a stinging rebuke to political leaders who prioritize financial allowances over serving their constituents, declaring that the era of political complacency and self-interest is officially over.
Addressing the nation at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds during his State of the Nation Address, the 81-year-old leader revealed his deep frustration with current leaders who demand government funds just to mobilize local populations. Reflecting on his early days in the 1960s as a 22-year-old activist, Mr Museveni who has been in power for four decades recalled how he and his late colleague Mwesigwa Black relied on a meager Shs20 donation from Mzee Byanyima to jumpstart wealth creation campaigns in the cattle corridor.
Mzee Byanyima is the father-in-law of one of Mr Museveni’s political adversaries, Dr Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential contender who has been on remand since November 2024 when he was abducted by Ugandan security operatives from Nairobi.
“Therefore, when I hear leaders talking of allowances to reach their People and get them out of poverty, I almost get nausea,” Mr Museveni stated candidly on June 4.
He criticized politicians who stay in Kampala despite receiving government allowances, as well as those who mistakenly give personal money to constituents instead of teaching them sustainable wealth-creation methods.
‘God has kept me here and I am now 82 years old (almost) in spite of the efforts we expended in the Resistance. The most important contribution to the People was the diagnosis of their problems and the prescriptions we offered. They were enough to rouse their enthusiasm and expectations. That was the reason they massively joined the young Party we formed in 1980, known as UPM, after the Parties were, again, allowed to exist; No money given to them but accurate analysis and prescription that was a projected solution,’ he said.
The President contextualized this warning within his broader post-election directive: “no more sleep”. He clarified that this mandate is not merely about physical sleeplessness but demands an absolute end to the systemic friction choking Uganda’s socio-economic transformation. Under this rule, Museveni outlined strict targets: “no more corruption (obusi kuzi); no more Kukongola (leaning on your hoe when others are digging); no more Kugumaaza (diverting attention from real targets); and no more kutuhenda (overburdening workers while others sit idle)”.
Mr Museveni, like in other public addresses before, promised an end to “politeness to non-performers,” warning that leaders driven by personal ego and interests must vacate their positions. He noted that accurate diagnosis and prescription-not hand-outs-are what successfully transitioned 67 per cent of Ugandan homesteads into the money economy, elevating the country to a Lower Middle-Income status with a GDP of USD 69.3 billion.
According to Mr Museveni, leadership is strictly for the people and the country. He implored all leaders to “download” national development programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) into their respective areas to secure rapid, cross-country transformation.