The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has highlighted some of the achievements of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government ahead of the 38th NRA/M Liberation Day celebrations.
Running under the theme “Building a Country We All Cherish,” the Victory Day celebrations will be held in Jinja City at St. John SSS Wakitaka Play Grounds in Jinja Northern Division on Friday, January 26, 2024.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre today, Hon. Babalanda said the economy of the country has tremendously grown from 3.9 billion US dollars in 1986 to 49.4 billion US dollars in 2023.
“Electricity generation expanded from 150 megawatts in 1986 to above 1,300 megawatts in 2023; Tarmac roads expanded from 1,000 kilometres in 1986 to over 7,000 kilometres in 2023; airports grew from 1 to 2; and airstrips from 5 to now 13,” she said.
The Minister added that the water coverage in rural areas stands at 68%, while in urban areas it is at 72% Whereas life expectancy extended from 43 years in 1986 to 63 years in 2023,.
“The national referral hospitals are now 5 from 2, while the regional referrals are now 17 and the specialised hospitals are 5. We have more than 163 district hospitals,” she noted.
The universities expanded from 1 in 1986 to now 11. The technical colleges are 77; the secondary schools are 983; and the primary schools are 12,433 in number. In nearly all the sectors, the NRM government has performed very well.”
Hon. Babalanda further revealed that the programmes that aim to uplift Ugandans out of poverty and backwardness are booming, attributing it to the fertile soils, water sources, and stability in the country.
“Yes, there could have been isolated cases of insecurity, political disunity amongst individuals, and cases of corruption by greedy, unpatriotic Ugandans, but these isolated cases notwithstanding, Uganda has made big achievements on all fronts. This, for example, can be proved by the hundreds of cameras pointing at me right now,” she said.
“One may ask how many radio and TV stations or newspapers were in the country in 1986, when the NRM government had just ascended to power. How can that compare to today, where we have hundreds of radio and TV stations licenced to operate?”
Hon. Babalanda noted that the country’s remaining challenge is the problem of careless Ugandans who have eyes but do not see and have ears but do not hear and have deliberately chosen to ignore the realities of transformation in the country.
“Several programmes of the government have been implemented, and they are benefiting our people. However, the disease we still have is that those who are charged with talking about them so that Ugandans get to know them have chosen to keep silent and to sleep on their jobs,” she asserted.
“As we celebrate the 38th Liberation Day, I challenge our media people to communicate, bearing in mind the key principles of informing, educating, and entertaining the public. Investigative journalism should not only be biassed towards politics, but it should cut across all areas of interest, especially those that deal with national transformation.”
During the celebrations, Hon. Balalanda also disclosed that 53 deserving Ugandans will receive medals, and one of the medalists will be the former Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Royal Highness Henry Wako Muloki OBE, who contributed greatly and largely to the external wing of the struggle.
The Minister further stressed that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been promoting Ugandan products across the world with the aim of expanding opportunities for farmers and industrialists.
“The President has taken to sourcing for international markets after promoting commercial agriculture back at home. Already, there are serious farmers in the country whom we have profiled. I therefore appeal to publishers to engage with the RDCs and RCCs to furnish you with details of the commercial farmers who are profiled.”
“We have done all the politics; we have also built democracy and created the necessary and enabling environment. The remainder is to deal with mindset change, corruption, and promotion of our products with value additions.”
On the other hand, Hon. Babalanda revealed that the Patriotism Secretariat, under the leadership of Commissioner Helen Seku and with her supervision, will, in 2024, commit to multiplying efforts at promoting patriotism across the sectors that are key to managing public resources.
“There has been tremendous progress in teaching the spirit of patriotism amongst the schoolchildren, and we should now focus on the other actors in the economy.”
