Speaking at the 3rd African Regional Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Emerging Global Challenges in Entebbe, Tayebwa said Africa’s continued struggle with poverty, despite its vast natural resources, must compel its leaders to act differently.
He pointed to the contradiction between the continent’s natural abundance and widespread deprivation. “Africa holds 60% of the world’s arable land, yet we still face food shortages,” Tayebwa noted.
“We earn little from our minerals because they are extracted and exported in raw form, without local value addition that could create jobs and wealth at home.”
In a firm tone, the Deputy Speaker told delegates from across the continent that the era of blaming the past must end.
“We may not be responsible for our past, but we are entirely responsible for our future,” he said.
“We can no longer hide behind the excuse of colonial history. As leaders, we must work hard every day and work together to reclaim what history denied us: full economic independence and control over our natural resources.”
Tayebwa called on African parliaments to legislate and enforce policies that prioritise domestic value addition, transparency, and long-term investment in critical sectors.
He cited Botswana and Ghana as examples of countries that have managed to harness their mineral wealth through effective governance and mineral resource management.
He also praised President Museveni’s stance on banning the export of raw minerals from Uganda, calling it a bold and necessary step.
“The President is committed to ensuring that no minerals leave the country in raw form. This is how Uganda will begin to get a fair share,” Tayebwa said.
He emphasised the importance of directing revenues from mineral extraction into tangible benefits for citizens, especially the communities where mining occurs.
“Funds from these natural resources must be ring-fenced for specific services—particularly infrastructure, schools, and health facilities—in the areas from which the minerals are extracted,” he added.
Tayebwa’s remarks come amid growing calls across Africa for fairer trade terms, stronger industrialisation, and more self-reliant development models.
His address reflected a sentiment gaining ground in African policy circles: that the continent must shift from being a source of raw materials for the rest of the world to becoming a centre of production and value creation for its own people.
The conference in Entebbe brought together parliamentarians from across the continent to discuss Africa’s place in an increasingly complex global order, including issues such as climate change, economic sovereignty, and youth unemployment.
Tayebwa’s message resonated as a call for a generational shift in thinking—one that favours bold economic action over historical regret.
As Africa faces the challenge of turning potential into prosperity, Tayebwa’s appeal adds to a growing chorus of voices urging that the time for excuses has ended—and the time for decisive, united leadership has begun.