President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially opened the 1st Meeting of the 4th National Conference of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, urging delegates to embrace discipline, combat corruption, and champion household participation in the money economy.
Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni, the President — who also serves as NRM National Chairman — addressed thousands of delegates drawn from across the country. The conference will elect representatives of special interest groups including youth, elderly, workers, and persons with disabilities, while also setting the Movement’s direction for the coming years.
In his keynote address, President Museveni welcomed the youthful composition of many of the new delegates, describing it as proof of generational renewal within the Movement. He reminded them to remain anchored in the NRM’s four principles — patriotism, Pan-Africanism, democracy, and socio-economic transformation — and to take this vision deeper into communities across Uganda.
Reflecting on Uganda’s economic journey, the President retraced the country’s progress from the era of “minimum recovery” — when even basic commodities such as sugar, salt, and soap were scarce — to today’s stage of industrial take-off. He highlighted milestones such as the production of vehicles by Kiira Motors, vaccine manufacturing facilities, and growth in ICT as evidence of an economy entering a new industrial age.
“Uganda is no longer in recovery; we are in the take-off stage. We are now making our own cars, producing vaccines, and building an ICT-driven economy,” he said.
Turning to household wealth creation, President Museveni emphasized that Uganda’s long-term stability depends on every family joining the money economy. He noted that in 2013, about 68 percent of Ugandans were outside the money economy, but today, 67 percent are engaged, with the government’s target being 100 percent participation.
He cited the case of Joseph Ijaara, a farmer in Serere, who maximizes a small piece of land through commercial agriculture, as an example of how Ugandans can benefit from the four pillars of the money economy — agriculture, industry, services, and ICT.
“In the past, towns only had shops. Today, we are building towns of factories where people work and earn. That is the NRM difference,” he noted.
The President tasked leaders to return to their communities with a mission to directly address citizens’ needs: fighting poverty in their households, protecting government programs like the Parish Development Model from corruption, and ensuring security.
On social services, he stressed the importance of health, water, roads, and education. He hailed progress in malaria prevention and immunization but condemned theft of drugs, and pledged to expand safe water coverage to rural areas. He reminded districts that government allocates UGX 1.3 billion annually for road maintenance and insisted the funds must be well utilized.
On education, President Museveni made a strong pledge to abolish all fees in government schools, arguing that access to free, quality education is central to transformation.
“Once the NRM is voted again, we shall ensure free education in all government schools. Support me so we can fully implement it,” he affirmed.
Other leaders also addressed the conference. NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong reminded delegates that leadership is about service, not self-enrichment, urging them to uphold discipline and responsibility. Dr. Tanga Odoi, Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, assured delegates of free and fair elections for special interest group representatives and subsequent polls.