President Yoweri Museveni’s recent call for nationwide nutrition education is a welcome and powerful move toward transforming Uganda’s health and development. As a Nutritionist, I strongly support his appeal for collaboration between all sectors in a multidisciplinary approach.
His statement that “Matooke with salt is not enough” captures the urgent need to address our nation’s nutritional gaps. Nutrition must become a national priority, not just for health but for education, sports, economic productivity, and future resilience.
Uganda faces a dual burden of undernutrition and rising lifestyle diseases. In many homes, meals consist mostly of carbohydrates like matooke, posho, and rice with little to no protein, vegetables, or fruits. Families often lack knowledge about food diversity and how to prepare balanced meals using affordable local foods such as beans, groundnuts, eggs, or vegetables.
Poverty and misinformation further worsen this situation. Some believe nutritious foods are only for the wealthy, while others rely on cultural myths instead of science.
Meanwhile, the influence of fast foods and sugary drinks is rapidly growing, especially among urban youth. Street foods, processed snacks, and sodas are replacing traditional meals. This trend contributes to increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, even as malnutrition persists in rural areas. If we don’t act now, this food culture will compromise the health of an entire generation.
Nutrition education is the key to reversing this trajectory. Public awareness must be strengthened across all communities urban and rural alike. We need to teach Ugandans how to build healthy, affordable meals from local foods, understand food groups, and adopt better eating habits from a young age.
This knowledge must be practical and easy to apply in everyday life. People should know how to grow home gardens, prepare safe meals, and feed their children to prevent stunting and anaemia.
Strong nutrition education will produce far-reaching benefits. Healthier children will attend school regularly, concentrate better, and perform well. Healthy youth will be more productive and physically fit, unlocking their full potential in sports and the workforce.
Proper diets reduce the burden of disease, easing pressure on our health system and saving government resources. Most importantly, nutrition enhances national resilience better-fed families can withstand crises like droughts, economic shocks, and pandemics.
The President’s suggestion to use radio and sports platforms to spread nutrition messages is practical and effective. However, for deeper impact, I propose the appointment of a National Nutrition Ambassador a well-known figure to champion nutrition awareness across media, schools, and communities. This would increase visibility and make healthy eating a national conversation.
In conclusion, nutrition must be prioritized because it is foundational to every aspect of development. With strong leadership, education, and public engagement, Uganda can move toward a healthier, more productive, and self-reliant future. I thank President Museveni for igniting this crucial conversation. Now is the time for action.
The writer, Daniel Kamara is a Clinical and Community Nutritionist at Bwindi Community Hospital in Kanungu District. Kamara is also a Board Member of Allied Nutritionists Association of Uganda.
