President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday launched his bid for a seventh consecutive elective term, unveiling his campaign slogan, Protecting the Gains, shortly after his nomination at the Electoral Commission.
Addressing supporters at a post-nomination rally in Kololo, the 81-year-old incumbent defended his government’s record, urging Ugandans to acknowledge the progress made under his leadership.
“No one should say they have not gained anything for all these years. If you feel you have not, then embrace the government’s wealth creation programmes,” Museveni said.
He cited Uganda’s economic growth, noting that the country’s GDP had nearly doubled from $34 billion to $66 billion in the most recent term.
“You have everything today that you lacked in the past: electricity, roads, telephones, manpower, educated people, and peace. That’s why many investors are flocking here—they want a peaceful and profitable environment,” he said.
Museveni also pledged a new initiative to tackle graduate unemployment:
“We are going to create a fund for university graduates who have not found jobs for two years, so they can borrow money and start their own businesses,” he said.
The President stressed that the benefits of transformation must reach ordinary Ugandans at the grassroots, outlining key priorities: wealth creation through ekibaaro (enterprise calculation), free education for the poor, timely road works, improved healthcare, universal access to clean water, fighting crime, and eliminating corruption.
He further identified four pillars he believes are central to Uganda’s economic future:
“The answer for all Ugandans lies in four sectors: commercial agriculture with ekibaaro if you have land, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and ICT,” Museveni said.
