President Museveni, who is also the NRM presidential flag bearer, has launched the party’s manifesto for the next five years during a ceremony at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo.
In his speech, witnessed by thousands of NRM supporters and officials who painted Munyonyo yellow, Museveni emphasized the importance of protecting “the gains” achieved by the NRM over the past 60 years.
Highlighting five key pillars of the 2026–2031 manifesto, Museveni identified peace and security as the foundation for Uganda’s development.
“We are not just talking about this manifesto, but the work of the NRM for Uganda and with Uganda over the last 60 years. Ensuring a qualitative leap to high middle-income status is our logical next step, given what we have achieved. Everything we are saying is linked,” Museveni said.
The President credited both the people and the UPDF for ensuring peace, warning that no one should attempt to bring war to Uganda.
“Our army is very strong, and nobody can bring war here without being destroyed,” he stated.
While acknowledging that crime remains a security challenge, Museveni pledged to address it. He noted that Uganda’s security has enabled the development of social infrastructure such as schools and health centers, as well as economic infrastructure like roads and railways.
Museveni stressed that development alone is not enough without wealth creation.
“There is a difference between development and wealth. Wealth is in the hands of the people. When you go to rallies, people talk about districts and cities, but if we focus on wealth first, we cannot go wrong,” he said.
He urged NRM leaders to actively involve citizens in wealth creation, drawing lessons from campaigns in the 1960s that transformed Uganda’s cattle corridor communities into prosperous households.
“If you are a leader and focus only on infrastructure but ignore the wealth of the people, problems arise. Wealth creation is key if Uganda is to move to higher middle-income status.”
Museveni highlighted that wealth generation drives job creation and reduces unemployment, citing State Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama, who earns about Shs700 million annually from egg farming while employing 26 people.
“The majority of jobs are in the private sector, created through personal wealth, not public service. People should stop seeking work abroad; instead, opportunities should be created here in Uganda,” he said.
The president emphasized Uganda’s agricultural potential, noting that using just 7 of the country’s 40 million acres of arable land could generate over 104 million jobs.
Museveni also highlighted services as a critical avenue for wealth creation and emphasized the importance of both domestic and regional markets to absorb Uganda’s produce.
He linked patriotism and Pan-Africanism to economic survival, urging young people to support regional integration through the East African Federation.
On technology and innovation, Museveni cited the Kiira EV plant in Jinja as an example of leveraging the knowledge economy.
He called for government-supported research and citizen participation in co-owning factories.
Over the next five years, Museveni said government programs such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga will help citizens transition from subsistence production to the money economy, while also fighting poverty and creating jobs.
NRM Secretary-General Richard Todwong said the 2021–2025 manifesto objectives were largely achieved despite global challenges like COVID-19.
He noted that Uganda’s economy has doubled and is projected to reach Shs254.2 trillion by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
Poverty has declined to 16.1%, subsistence farming has reduced, and the Ugandan shilling remains Africa’s most stable currency.
Todwong also highlighted ongoing priorities for the NRM, including creating wealth for the remaining 33% of households still in subsistence production, resolving land-use issues, adding value to agricultural products, developing tourism, and expanding irrigation.
NRM Manifesto 2026–2031 Key Pillars
- Peace: Ensuring stability and national security as the foundation for progress.
- Development: Driving infrastructure and industrial growth.
- Wealth: Empowering citizens to create and sustain household incomes.
- Services: Improving access to quality health, education, and social services.
- ICT: Harnessing technology and innovation for national advancement.
- Market: Expanding access to domestic, regional, and global markets.
- Strategic Security: Safeguarding Uganda’s sovereignty and long-term interests.