President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has presented a technical blueprint for the nation’s future, structured around what he termed the “Seven Bricks” of the “Uganda House.”
In his inaugural address attended by several African Heads of State and dignitaries, Museveni reiterated his long-standing message of economic transformation through value addition and wealth creation.
The “seven bricks listed include the peace, that he notes was ushered by the NRM ideology of rejecting the politics of sectarianism, development in the form of economic infrastructure, the wealth of individuals, families and companies that use the peace and the infrastructure to build the economy, and job creation from the wealth. The other “bricks” are services, market and political integration that he attributed to the NRM governance.
Museveni credited NRM’s electoral success to the rejection of sectarian politics. He argued that emphasizing national unity over tribe or religion is the reason the NRM consistently wins in the first round.
“Some people talk of roads and electricity but never talk about wealth,” he said. “This is a mistake. The wealth is in four sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT.”
The President noted a significant shift in Uganda’s economic landscape, that homesteads in the money economy have risen from 32% in 2013 to 67% today, largely due to the Parish Development Model and Operation Wealth Creation.
His goal for this term is to bring the remaining 33% into the money economy. He used the success story of some politicians who moved from political infighting to farming and now employs people, as a template for all Ugandans.
In a message to African leaders, Museveni described the export of unprocessed raw materials as a strategic blunder. Using gold as a primary example, he showcased the massive value gap where African unprocessed gold which he noted is 84% pure fetches only USD 60,000 per kilogram while the refined gold (99.9% pure) gets up to USD 168,000 per kilogram.
He showcased the Wagagai Gold Refinery in Busia as evidence of Uganda’s commitment to stopping this “hemorrhage” of wealth and jobs to the West.
Addressing the issue of market fragmentation, Museveni praised the integration of the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), comparing the potential of an African market to that of the USA.
“If I was in the USA, I would be a billionaire by now because the market is there,” he said lightly, urging Ugandans to produce for the now-available regional and continental markets.
President Museveni asked Ugandans to take advantage of the “bricks” of peace, infrastructure, and markets for wealth creation.
Addressing global concerns about fluctuating oil prices and availability, Museveni signaled a strategic move toward self-reliance through electric vehicles.
“There is crying about petrol in the world; for us, we shall go electric. Even if the petrol disappears, we have got electric buses here.”He used the Kiira Motors buses designed and produced in Uganda as evidence that the country is preparing for a future where high-energy costs or petrol shortages will not paralyze the economy-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
