By Edrine Benesa
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, son of late Esteri Kokundeka and Amos Kaguta celebrated his 80 year birthday over the weekend and the glamour associated with it couldn’t have been any more glamorous. Born during the colonial days in 1944 in the rural Ntugamo district, the son of Kaguta would surprisingly skip glaring hurdles to become, arguably one of Uganda’s most refined citizens and later on, leaders.
Right from his teens, the overzealous young Munyankore embarked on an unusually attempted task of preaching social-economic transformation among his tribesmen, a message that has continued to illuminate his life half a century later.
At this year’s birthday fete, Museveni looked more agile and lively, a message the eagle-eyed couldn’t afford to take for granted. The demeanour was more or less like his characteristic day-to-day messages over the years that have usually looked as though the President were to live for eternity or at least another century ahead. The charismatic leader has relentlessly preached Integration of Africa as a means to strengthening the black continent, becoming christened ” the father of Integration” by his Kenyan counterpart- Somei William Ruto.
Through integration, Museveni believes will come enhanced production of goods and services due to the emergence of assured markets due to an open trade policy between borders. He has often reasoned that the black continent suffered the unfortunate atrocities against her people at the hands of the European, American and Arab worlds through the insanely dehumanizing trade in people principally due to disunity amongst us. He, thus, believes that with an integrated Africa, amidst the plenty of natural resources at our disposal, not even the sky would be the limit.
Domestically, President Museveni has championed the fight against social and economic stagnation through various interventions aimed at uplifting the common person’s situation. These have been, among others, Entandiikwa, NAADS, Boona Bagagawale, Operation Wealth Creation, Youth Livelihood Program, and Women Livelihood Program, among others. The most recent and perhaps grandest impact intervention is the Parish Development Model(PDM) which has a grand objective of lifting the 39% of our population out of poverty.
Unlike the prior interventions, the PDM is designed to be implemented at the Parish level under Pariah Chiefs, with structures above only participating in supervisory roles. With Shillings 100M already sent to each parish in the country in the last two years, the system is backed to bring about a big push for development as more people get immersed in production.
On the issue of youth unemployment, which has, unsurprisingly been a challenge across the globe, the Ugandan heroic leader speaks as though he has been here for centuries, and will continue living for more. “An idle mind is a devil’s den” is a narrative the President seems unwilling to take for granted. Through his flagship PDM policy, the youths have been given a cut to participate and enhance their capacity to improve their livelihood.
The Emyooga fund is another particularly designed to empower young people in the informal sector by capitalising on the different trades. The president has also put in place a skilling program with sling centres spread across the country to train and equip young people with practical skills without paying a single coin.
The MRM government has also prioritised industrialisation with a particular emphasis on value addition to local products. This, the Head of State strongly believes will not only lead to mass employment but also increase possible earnings to the country from the exportation of processed products. The enhanced security and infrastructural development are some of the enabling environments for mass production to facilitate rapid economic transformation.
These intentions will most certainly take time to yield fruits, most likely for many of us in the adult stage now, our president who is gifted with eyes able to see through the future is conducting himself in a way identical to what he was in the 1950s when he first started dreaming of a better Uganda. Like it’s said, it seems like the President is ageing right like fine wine. As he celebrates his glamorous 80 years, one can’t help to think this man is immortal. No wonder he still commits to a hectic lifestyle, foregoing sleep and rest at his farm to continue planning for the country hundreds of years ahead.
Happy birthday to you Father of the NRM Revolution, Father of Africa’s integration, Father of the Nation, and grandfather to the majority of the youth. We hail you, General, for securing our country and riding us out of the hands of bandits. With you at the helm, Uganda and Farica is on the right path. See you in 2026.
The writer is the Assistant Resident City Commissioner for Nakawa Division
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