ZEPHLINE MUHANGI: The 40 Years of NRM’s Liberation Vision is Alive and Progressing.

By ZEPHLINE MUHANGI

 

It is now 40 years since the National Resistance Movement (NRM) patriots – led by our dear president, Yoweri Museveni – liberated this country from perennial instability and stunted growth to meaningful prosperity and socio-economic development. 

On that note, I take this opportunity to warmly congratulate our liberation vision-bearer, the President and NRM national chairperson, upon this enviable landmark. 

This great milestone cannot come at a better time, with the President having secured re-election to lead Uganda for an eighth straight term in the just-concluded general election. Your steadfast stewardship of this country for four straight decades proves that even your renewed democratic mandate is not merely an electoral success; it is a resounding national endorsement of a visionary leader whose clarity of purpose has guided Uganda from collapse to stability, and from survival to steady growth.

As a country, we are proud that at our helm is a leader who, 40 years ago, promised to usher in a fundamental change and has indeed delivered on the promise, signifying a total shift from the malaise and failures of the past rulers.

When the NRM assumed leadership in 1986, Uganda was emerging from years of political turmoil, economic disintegration and institutional decay. Today, 40 years later, the country stands transformed. Forinstance; 

The government ministries, departments and agencies, Infrastructure development, Education remains a cornerstone of the NRM’s human capital strategy, improved health sector where sustained investment has yielded measurable gains. Life expectancy has improved from 42.5 years in 2000 to 57.2 years by 2021.

 

Crucially, Uganda now stands at the threshold of a historic economic transition. Under President Museveni’s guidance, the country is entering the oil production phase, with a clear ideological position that oil revenues must be invested strategically – in science and technology education, railways, power generation and industrialisation – to support long-term transformation rather than short-term consumption. This disciplined approach mirrors the successful development paths of the emerging Asian economies and underpins the government’s ambition to grow Uganda’s economy from $50b to $500b by 2040, positioning the country as a high upper-middle-income economy.

 

Therefore, As we celebrate NRM at 40, I wish to challenge us all to remember that Uganda’s progress has not been accidental. It is the product of absolute sacrifice by our patriots, who, through ideological clarity, disciplined leadership, and a steadfast commitment to the interests of the Ugandan people, have managed to continually ensure that we develop as a nation, living up to the true aspiration of the bush war spirit. I thank you all for entrusting our liberators with a new mandate. I am heavily optimistic that with this renewed mandate and unity of purpose, the NRM remains firmly positioned to deepen transformation and secure a prosperous future for generations to come.

 

The writer is an NRM Cadre & the NRM Western Region Cordinator, Mobilization.