KAMPALA, Uganda (IP)
President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday used National Resistance Movement (NRM) Liberation Day to renew his long-standing call for Ugandans to focus on creating household wealth, arguing that lasting national development begins at the family level, not in government balance sheets alone.
Speaking as the ruling party marked 40 years since it took power, Museveni thanked Ugandans for maintaining peace and stability and outlined priorities for his new term, including safeguarding security, eradicating household poverty, strengthening unity, enforcing discipline in governance and supporting wealth creators to grow the economy.
“In this new Kisanja, our priorities are clear,” Museveni said, addressing what he fondly called the bazzukulu, or grandchildren of the revolution. “Uganda will remain peaceful, stable and focused on progress.”
Household wealth vs. headline growth
Museveni’s emphasis on household wealth reflects his long-held view that macroeconomic growth figures mean little if families remain poor.
Household wealth focuses on income earned and assets owned by individuals and families — such as farming output, small businesses or wages — rather than the total value of goods and services produced in the country.
By contrast, indicators like gross domestic product (GDP) measure overall economic activity and can rise even when wealth is concentrated among a small segment of the population.
Roads, power lines and industrial parks may boost GDP, Museveni argues, but they do not automatically lift families out of poverty unless households actively generate income from them.
Uganda in the regional picture
Uganda’s economy has remained among the faster-growing in East Africa in recent years, even as global shocks, climate pressures and debt challenges weigh on the region.
Uganda’s growth has hovered around 5.5% to 6%, placing it ahead of Kenya, which has averaged about 4.5% to 5%, and South Sudan, where instability has kept growth closer to 4%.
Rwanda continues to lead the region, posting growth rates of about 7%, while Tanzania has remained strong at roughly 6%. Burundi has recorded growth near 6%, rebounding from a low base.
Outside the East African Community core, Ethiopia remains one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, often reporting growth above 7%, though figures are debated due to inflation and debt pressures.
Somalia, still rebuilding state institutions, posts lower and more volatile growth estimates, while Sudan has struggled with economic contraction amid conflict.
What the comparison shows
Economists say the comparison highlights Museveni’s political message: Uganda may be growing at a respectable regional pace, but GDP rankings alone do not tell citizens whether their daily lives are improving.
Household income, employment, productivity and inflation ultimately determine whether growth is felt at the grassroots.
Uganda’s challenge, like that of its neighbors, is turning steady national growth into widespread household prosperity.
A liberation message with an economic edge
NRM Liberation Day commemorates the capture of Kampala in January 1986, which ended years of turmoil and ushered Museveni into power.
Four decades later, the message remains familiar — peace first, wealth next — but the emphasis on household income underscores growing public pressure for economic gains that reach ordinary families.
