Ministry of Finance Touts NRM’s Economic Legacy, Predicts High-Income Status in 15 Years
Ggoobi recalled that when the NRM took over in 1986, Uganda’s economy was in shambles
KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has praised the economic transformation achieved under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government since it assumed power in 1986, while projecting that Uganda could attain upper middle-income status within the next 15 years.
In a presentation delivered at the NRM’s Kyambogo-based Office of the National Chairman (ONC), the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi, outlined the country’s journey from economic disarray to sustained growth under the ruling party.
From Collapse to Growth
Ggoobi recalled that when the NRM took over in 1986, Uganda’s economy was in shambles, with virtually no capacity for self-reliance due to what he described as “leadership that prioritised personal gain over national development.”
He stated that the NRM government revived the economy by stabilising the currency, controlling inflation, and encouraging savings, which in turn boosted domestic demand. “Ugandans began to have money but there was little to buy,” Ggoobi noted, emphasising the subsequent push for local industrialization to meet consumer needs.
Peace as a Foundation for Prosperity
The Ministry also credited the NRM with restoring peace—a prerequisite for economic activity. Ggoobi asserted that under the current government, “every Ugandan is free to do the work they love, earn from it, and the government faces no crisis in managing the economy.”
A 15-Year Vision for Upper Middle-Income Status
Looking ahead, Ggoobi revealed the government’s 15-year economic vision, forecasting that Uganda is on track to become an upper-middle-income country within that period.
NRM Leaders Rally Support for President Museveni
The event, organised by the ONC in conjunction with the NRM Secretariat, also served as a campaign platform ahead of the January 15 elections.
Ms Rose Namayanja, Deputy Secretary-General of the NRM, urged Ugandans to continue trusting the party. “If it were not for the NRM, I don’t know where this country would be economically,” she said.
She disclosed that President Museveni has already covered a significant portion of his campaign trail, with only Kampala Central Division remaining. The NRM will conclude its campaigns on Monday, January 13.
Mobilising Election Day Protection
Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM’s Electoral Commission Chairman, and Ms Hadijah Namyalo, Head of the ONC, outlined plans to deploy party agents to protect the vote on polling day.
Dr Odoi cautioned MPs not to take this role for granted and urged those assigned to diligently carry out their duties.
Namyalo called on all Ugandans to turn out in large numbers and vote for President Yoweri Museveni, “the choice of the majority,” on January 15.
