Museveni Pledges Poverty Eradication, Unity and Tough Action Against Corruption in New Term

Rwakitura — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has formally received the declaration of his re-election as President of Uganda, pledging to intensify efforts to eradicate poverty, strengthen national unity, and enforce disciplined governance in his new term.

President Museveni, who won the recently concluded presidential election with more than seven million votes according to provisional Electoral Commission figures, was officially presented with the declaration form by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) at his country home in Rwakitura.

In his acceptance remarks, the President thanked God and the First Lady, Maama Janet Museveni, for their support throughout the long political journey.

“I want to thank God for this victory and for all the victories we have had over the last 55 years of struggle since 1971,” President Museveni said. “I also thank Maama Janet for her support.”

He attributed the victory to collective effort, praising NRM members, party leaders, and national institutions for their contribution.

“I want to thank the NRM members and all the leaders because they all played a critical role in this victory,” he said, also acknowledging the armed forces, religious leaders, and cultural leaders for promoting peace and stability.

Reflecting on voter turnout, President Museveni noted that a significant number of NRM supporters did not vote, a matter he said requires internal party reflection. “About 10 million of our people did not turn up. Many of them are our members, and we must find out why,” he said.

The President linked the election outcome to a return to the NRM’s founding principles of unity and stability, citing sustained peace in parts of northern and eastern Uganda that were previously affected by conflict. “That atmosphere of maximum unity is coming back,” he said.

He highlighted government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and presidential skilling hubs as key tools in restoring hope and addressing poverty, particularly at the household level.

“PDM has given people hope that we can get rid of poverty,” he said, while acknowledging gaps in implementation. “We must analyse and find out what is working and what is not.”

On security, President Museveni warned against isolated acts of violence linked to political extremism, while emphasising that peace in Uganda is a shared responsibility.

“It is not just the security forces who are maintaining peace,” he said. “It is all Ugandans, including members of the opposition.”

He cautioned groups he accused of collaborating with foreign interests to abandon violence, warning that peace would be firmly protected.

Looking ahead, President Museveni outlined two broad economic priorities: supporting wealth creators to expand the economy and decisively addressing household poverty among the most vulnerable.

“For about 70 percent of the people in the money economy, we must support them to continue growing,” he said. “For the remaining 30 percent, this is where we must decisively address poverty.”

He also emphasised free education in government schools, improved healthcare delivery, and tough action against corruption.

“Corruption annoys our people,” the President said, warning leaders that he would be “very harsh” in the new term and urging close monitoring of government programs, including health services, land protection, justice delivery, roads, and water access.

On job creation, he said the focus would remain on agriculture, manufacturing, and private sector growth rather than public service employment.

Turning to regional integration and natural resources, President Museveni reiterated the importance of the East African Community and confirmed that Uganda’s oil production is expected to begin this year.

“Our oil will start flowing this year,” he said, adding that revenues would be invested in long-term assets such as railways, power generation, roads, and science education.

He cautioned against distributing oil revenues directly to local governments, warning that oil is a finite resource. “This oil will last about 20 years. If you care about your country, you must use this exhaustible resource to build things that will endure,” he said.

President Museveni concluded by calling for unity and discipline as the country looks toward the next electoral cycle. “If we do these things, we shall unite our people and build a stronger country,” he said.

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, congratulated the wider NRM family on the electoral victory and called on leaders to remain faithful to God and recommitted to guiding the nation.

“I am deeply grateful to God for allowing this to be the first programme of this Kisanja,” she said, praising party leaders and mobilizers for standing firmly with the President throughout the campaign.

Vice President Jessica Alupo described the election outcome as a moment for national thanksgiving and unity, congratulating President Museveni on what she termed an overwhelming victory and praising the Electoral Commission for delivering the results peacefully.

Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, also congratulated the President and the party, citing strong public confidence in the NRM and a landslide parliamentary performance, with 352 Members of Parliament elected under the party’s flag.

NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, hailed the election results as proof that the NRM has evolved into a national movement, crediting grassroots mobilisation and inclusive campaigning for the party’s success.

The event was attended by all members of the NRM Central Executive Committee and several religious leaders from across the country.