President Yoweri Museveni has formally received the declaration of his re-election Certificate as President of Uganda, pledging to prioritize poverty eradication, national unity, and disciplined governance in his new term.
Museveni, who won the recently concluded presidential election with more than seven million votes according to provisional Electoral Commission figures, was officially presented with the declaration form by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee at his country home in Rwakitura.
In his acceptance remarks, the President thanked God and his wife, Janet Museveni, for their support throughout the campaign and his long political journey.
“I want to thank God for this victory and for all the victories we have had over the last 55 years of struggle since 1971,” Museveni said. “I also thank Janet for her support.”
He credited the win to a collective effort by party members, leaders, and institutions, saying the outcome reflected the strength of the NRM as a national movement.
“I want to thank the NRM members and all the leaders because they all played a critical role in this victory,” he said.
Museveni also acknowledged the role of national institutions and community leaders, including the armed forces, religious leaders, and cultural leaders, whom he credited for maintaining peace during the electoral process.
Reflecting on voter turnout, the President noted that a significant number of NRM supporters did not vote, an issue he said the party must carefully study.
“About 10 million of our people did not turn up. Many of them are our members, and we must find out why,” he said.
He linked this reflection to what he described as a return to the founding principles of the NRM, emphasizing unity and stability, particularly in regions that were previously affected by conflict.
“That atmosphere of maximum unity is coming back,” Museveni said, citing sustained peace in parts of northern and eastern Uganda.
The President highlighted government programs such as the Parish Development Model and presidential skilling hubs, saying they have begun restoring hope among Ugandans by addressing household poverty and youth unemployment.
However, he acknowledged uneven implementation and said government must critically assess what is working and what is not.
On security, Museveni warned against isolated acts of violence linked to political extremism, while stressing that peace in Uganda is maintained not only by security agencies but also by citizens themselves.
“It is not just the security forces who are maintaining peace. It is all Ugandans, including members of the opposition,” he said, warning groups he accused of working with foreign interests to abandon violence.
Looking ahead, Museveni outlined two broad economic priorities: supporting wealth creators to grow the economy and intensifying efforts to eliminate household poverty.
“For about 70 percent of the people in the money economy, we must support them to continue growing. For the remaining 30 percent, we must decisively address poverty,” he said, emphasizing that Parish Development Model funds are central to that effort.
The President also stressed the importance of free education in government schools, improved healthcare delivery, and strict action against corruption.
“Corruption annoys our people,” he said, warning that he would take firm action during the new term. He urged elected leaders to closely monitor government programs, including drug availability in hospitals, justice delivery, land protection, road maintenance, and water access.
On job creation, Museveni said the focus would remain on agriculture, manufacturing, and the private sector rather than expanding public service employment.
Turning to regional integration and natural resources, the President said Uganda’s internal market is insufficient on its own and pointed to the East African Community as a critical economic opportunity.
He confirmed that Uganda’s oil production is expected to begin this year and said revenues would be invested in long-term national assets such as railways, power generation, roads, and science education.
“This oil will last about 20 years,” he said, cautioning against proposals to directly distribute oil revenues to local governments. “If you care about your country, you must use this exhaustible resource to build things that will endure.”
He concluded by urging unity and discipline as Uganda looks toward the next electoral cycle.
“If we do these things, we shall unite our people and build a stronger country,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, Janet Museveni congratulated the wider NRM family on the electoral victory and called on leaders to remain faithful to God and recommit themselves to guiding Ugandans responsibly.
She praised party leaders and mobilizers for standing firmly with the President throughout the campaign and urged them to reflect, renew themselves, and continue serving with purpose.
Vice President Jessica Alupo called on Ugandans to remain grateful and united following the elections, describing the outcome as a moment for national thanksgiving and reflection. She congratulated Museveni on what she termed an overwhelming victory and praised his leadership style for uniting people across the country.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among congratulated the President on what she described as a well-deserved victory and cited strong public confidence in the NRM.
She said the party had performed strongly in the parliamentary elections, with 352 Members of Parliament elected under the NRM flag so far. Among also praised Janet Museveni for mobilizing women across the country and pledged Parliament’s continued cooperation with the executive.
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong described the election results as a clear demonstration of the party’s strength as both a political organization and a national movement. He said the NRM performed strongly at all levels, particularly in local government elections, attributing the success to an inclusive grassroots-focused campaign strategy.
Todwong thanked Museveni for accepting the party’s call to contest for another term and acknowledged the support of Janet Museveni throughout the campaign. He reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to strengthening party structures and supporting the President in the new term.
The event was attended by members of the NRM Central Executive Committee and several religious leaders from across the country.