Opinion: NRM's biggest challenge is to walk the talk in new term
By Nsubuga Mukedi
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A new road extends a man’s freedom only if he travels upon it.
Whereas the historical 10 point programme was big and better, the new four way test introduced by the NRM Administration to transform Uganda socially and economically is simpler, clearer and most applicable for sustainable development.
The NRM’s Manifesto 2021-2026 introduces four major pillars as well as avenues designed to excel Uganda into a well-integrated, self-sustaining and economically independent country, with all her peoples and regions at aggregate peace, stability, freedom as well as socio-economic breakthrough.
The four great pillars and avenues positioned to champion a new fundamental change for Uganda are namely: • Patriotism
• Panafricanism
• Democracy
- Social economic transformation.
To achieve these pillars adequately, four major avenues have been cited to serve as strategic conduits for socio-economic transformation for Uganda.
The four great avenues are namely:
• Commercial agriculture
• Industry
• Services
• Information, Communication Technology (ICT).
The new task ahead of the NRM administration is to live the talk. To learn, re-learn and unlearn all the proposed strategies which don’t yield significant results.
To implement, re-implement and un-implement all possible interventions that show no equitable results.
To train, re-train and most train all party cadres and state actors to recite and unpack these great pillars and avenues of sustainable development wherever they go, for total society indoctrination and positive mind change towards government programs.
A lot of creativity and innovative approaches to community development shall be required by the national planners and policy implementers to sail through the NRM manifesto if local development is to exceedingly excel in Uganda in this newest political term 2021-2026.
It is therefore accomplished cadres with adequate knowledge, skills, experience, exposure and proven competence that will help the NRM Administration to revamp its inconsistencies and deliver this political term most effectively.
Patriotism as well as Pan-Africanism is simply meant to refer to adequate love for Uganda and Africa.
The book of Romans Chapter 12: 9-21 in the Holy Scriptures cites elaborately on the concept of love, that love should be genuine.
Love is reciprocal, it gives and receives, it endures and it should always be there in good and bad times among other dimensions.
Whereas the people of Uganda and Africa pay their hard won monies in form of taxes just in time to support their governments, governments should reciprocate by giving them adequate services, value for money, stability, peace, and freedom in return for sustainable development.
The rule of law, constitutionalism, human rights, good governance and democracy should always be free and fair and beneficial to all concerned in all African countries.
With this transformation at centre stage, aggregate love for nations, economic development and integration shall evenly flourish locally and continentally with utmost super speed. Time is now for Uganda’s social economic transformation to go beyond boarders.
To expand our economy to greater heights, we need to rebrand and re-package Uganda by working on our production and product quality levels, visibility, publicity and aggressiveness in tapping into foreign markets like other visionary countries do.
Effective cross border trade can be done through strategic legislation and adequate government support to the private sector.
The rationale is to promote foreign trade designed to spread-out Ugandan products, cultures, companies and technologies to Africa and the rest of the world like some African and Asian countries have done.
South Africa, China, Kenya, India and Egypt among others have economically reached out to Uganda and other countries through their product range, companies and technologies.
Where is the missing link for Uganda?
Uganda needs to re-organise itself locally by eliminating all forms of strategic sabotage and backwardness and position itself to compete favourably for external markets if sustainable growth and development is to be permanently achieved.
Brand new systems, structures, approaches and styles to effective development are significant at this juncture to effectively propel this new NRM political harvest to even greater heights.
Viva President Yoweri T.K. Museveni for yet another bumper term!
The writer is a development expert and a Senior Public Management Scientist.
