President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on Ugandans to embrace hard work, wealth creation and value addition as the country enters what he described as a new era of “no more sleep” during his swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Tuesday.
Addressing Heads of State, government officials and Ugandans gathered for the ceremony, Museveni congratulated citizens for participating in the 2026 general elections and praised the ruling National Resistance Movement for securing victory in the presidential, parliamentary and local government polls.
The President said Uganda had made significant progress since 1986 through peace, infrastructure development, improved service delivery and expansion of markets under the NRM government.
Museveni pointed to the rapid transformation of Kampala and surrounding areas, including the Kampala-Entebbe corridor, as evidence of economic growth driven by stability and infrastructure investment.
He said government investments in roads, electricity, water, railways, schools and health centres had created a strong foundation for wealth creation in the sectors of commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT.
The President urged Ugandans to fully utilise government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and funding from the Uganda Development Bank to improve household incomes and create jobs.
According to Museveni, Uganda’s future prosperity depends on citizens actively participating in wealth creation instead of waiting for government employment opportunities.
He cited successful farmers and industrial projects, including commercial farmers in Kamuli and Serere, as examples of how Ugandans can transform their livelihoods through modern agriculture and enterprise.
Museveni revealed that Uganda now has 67 percent of households participating in the money economy, up from 32 percent in 2013, attributing the growth to government poverty alleviation programmes.
He added that Uganda’s expanding economy could eventually create more jobs than the local labour force can absorb, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT.
The President also emphasized the importance of value addition, warning African countries against exporting raw materials without processing them locally.
Using gold exports as an example, Museveni said refining minerals and agricultural products within Africa would increase earnings, create jobs and strengthen economies across the continent.
He reiterated Uganda’s commitment to banning the export of unprocessed minerals and promoting local industries to increase employment and national income.
On education, Museveni called for reforms that focus on practical skills needed in the labour market, particularly in science, technology and industrial production.
The President further highlighted environmental conservation, urging Ugandans to protect wetlands and forests to support irrigation, rain formation and sustainable agriculture.
He encouraged communities to adopt fish farming along wetland edges instead of cultivating crops in swamps, saying the move would increase profitability while restoring the environment.
Museveni thanked visiting African leaders and international guests for attending the ceremony and reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to regional integration, peace and economic transformation.
“God bless Africa. God bless Uganda. Let there be peace and justice in the world,” Museveni said as he concluded his address.
