President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has issued a stern warning to Members of Parliament, saying corruption continues to undermine Uganda’s development and could derail progress if left unchecked.
Addressing legislators at the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi (NALI), where they have been attending a week-long retreat, Museveni stressed that the fight against corruption must remain a top priority for leaders.
“The first thing you must do is to fight corruption. If you don’t, all these efforts will be for nothing,” he said, cautioning against bribery and vote-buying, which he described as corrosive to governance and long-term national planning.
The president used the retreat’s closing session marked by a shooting exercise to reinforce the need for discipline, accountability and preparedness among leaders.
He also challenged MPs to strengthen their personal financial standing, warning that dependency undermines leadership.
“A bankrupt leader should not be a leader. Stand on your own and work with the systems we have put in place,” Museveni said, urging them to embrace savings and credit schemes such as SACCOs to build sustainable wealth.
Museveni further highlighted the importance of national defence readiness, outlining the concept of a “people’s army” in which citizens receive basic training, serve when required, and return to civilian life as reservists.
He said this model enhances national security capacity while ensuring broader citizen participation in defence.
The president also pointed to ongoing government efforts to improve the welfare of soldiers and their families through education support, housing programmes and SACCO initiatives, aimed at strengthening livelihoods without resorting to corruption.
The retreat, held under the theme “Aligning the NRM leadership towards protecting the gains and making a bold, qualitative leap towards a higher middle-income status society,” brought together MPs for leadership training, policy reflection and practical exercises.
As the retreat concluded, Museveni urged legislators to return to their constituencies with renewed focus on service delivery, wealth creation and accountability.
Uganda’s transformation, he said, hinges on disciplined leadership and a firm stand against corruption.
Meanwhile, Col Okei Rukogota, director of NALI, commended the president for supporting the institute’s training programmes, including the recent establishment of a shooting range to enhance practical defence skills among leaders and civilians.
