Museveni Declares "No More Sleep" in Ambitious 2026 Economic Agenda

President Yoweri Museveni has declared a new era of intense focus and accelerated development, outlining an ambitious economic blueprint for 2026 during his State of the Nation Address. The President articulated a vision centered on bridging the income gap through enhanced commercial agriculture, while simultaneously nurturing the growth of Uganda’s middle class and wealthy entrepreneurs.

A more assertive Museveni signalled a zero-tolerance policy towards underperformance and corruption, stating, “no more politeness for non-performers who want leadership positions for ego and personal intentions.” He criticized leaders who seek allowances to engage with constituents on poverty alleviation, advocating instead for direct guidance towards productive work. “Either you lead, or you stay in your home,” he declared, emphasizing that “all non-performers must leave leadership.”

The address touched upon Uganda’s economic progress, with the GDP reaching $69.3 billion. Museveni projected a significant leap to a two-digit growth rate of 10 percent in the next financial year, aiming to push the economy’s size to $80 billion, even before the substantial impact of commercial oil revenues.

Key to this projected growth is the expansion of Uganda’s export portfolio, which has seen an increase in manufactured goods including pharmaceuticals, refined gold, and ICT products. The government plans to prioritize investment in four core sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT, with a long-term goal to foster value addition and a knowledge-based economy.

Agricultural output has seen remarkable gains, with milk production soaring and coffee exports significantly increasing. The government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the sector through initiatives like the Parish Development Model, which aims to provide low-cost capital to households. Substantial funds have also been allocated to the Uganda Development Bank to support large-scale farmers and manufacturers.

While highlighting infrastructure improvements, including the completion of core international transit roads, the President acknowledged the need to address corruption within the Works and Transport ministries. He reiterated plans to revamp the metre-gauge railway and construct a standard-gauge line to improve freight transport.

Despite the optimistic outlook on economic growth and development, the address offered only brief mentions of pressing public concerns such as rising fuel prices, substandard service delivery, and the escalating public debt, with few concrete solutions proposed for these issues. https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/sona-museveni-unveils-ambitious-2026-agenda-5485728