The 28 Reasons why I support President Museveni and encourage you to vote for him come 2026- Young Business Mogul Hassan Mukibi
Hassan Mukibi is the Chairman/CEO of Harrington Group Limited which is an International Investment consulting, procurement and Property Development Company based in Kampala Uganda. In 2012, Hassan worked as Business Development Manager of Tongda China International which was involved in import and distribution of Commercial Explosives to construction companies. Hassan mukibi was the National Coordinator of the Uganda Poor Youth Movement (UPYM) rising to the National scene as a vibrant and shrewd young businessman and political activist at the time. He retired from active politics in 2016 to concentrate on his business and supporting community based initiatives.
Gen.Yoweri Kaguta Museveni became President of the Republic of Uganda on January 29, 1986 after leading a successful five-year liberation struggle. He went to the bush with 26 other young men and organized the National Resistance Movement and National Resistance Army (NRM/NRA) to oppose the tyranny that previous regimes had unleashed upon the population.The push for Kampala started on January 17th from different parts of the central region. Museveni was the overall commander. They captured power on 26th January, 1986.
After victory, he formed a broad-based government that helped unite the country’s political groups. Prior to the struggle of 1981-1986, Museveni was one of the leaders in the anti-Amin resistance of 1971-1979 that led to the fall of the Amin regime.Museveni, who has been politically active since his student days at Ntare School, Mbarara, in South West Uganda, studied political science at the University of Dar es Salaam, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science.
- Uganda’s economy has remained resilient. The economy last year grew by 5.5% compared to 4.6% 2022. The performance compares favorably with the average growth rate for Sub-Saharan Africa estimated at 3.6% for calendar year 2023. The size of the economy is estimated at Shs. 184.3 Trillion, compared to Shs. 162.9 Trillion in 2022. This is equivalent to US$ 49.4 billion compared to US$ 45.6 billion last year.This expansion is on account of good performance of the Services sector which grew at 6.2%, compared to 4.1% in the previous year. Agriculture has also performed strongly growing by 5.0%, despite the dry spell in the first quarter of the financial year. In particular, food crops, livestock and fishing performed well. Industry grew at 3.9%, driven largely by manufacturing and construction activities, especially in the oil and gas industry.
- Inflation is reducing steadily on account of well-coordinated fiscal and monetary policy. Inflation has significantly decreased since October 2022 when it peaked at 10.7%. Last month, the pace at which prices were rising slowed down to 6.2%. Prices of key items such as soap, sugar, fuel at pumps, among others, have significantly reduced.
- To reduce the cost of money for the private sector, the NRM Government under the leadership of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has taken a deliberate policy to reduce domestic borrowing which is a major driver of commercial bank lending rates. In addition, Government has also provided long-term and affordable capital through the Uganda Development Bank, Emyooga, the Agricultural Credit Facility and the Small Business Recovery Fund to large, medium, small and micro enterprises. A total of Shs 2.77 trillion has been provided to date.
- Total private sector credit increased from Shs. 19.5 Trillion in May 2022 to Shs. 20.5 Trillion in may 2023, representing annual growth of 4.8%. The growth in lending to industry and agriculture was 6.2% and 3.3%, respectively. Trade and personal lending recorded annual growth of 14.1% and 19.1%, respectively, in the same period. This underscores the ongoing Government interventions to ensure that agriculture and industry access adequate and affordable financing on a sustainable basis.
- The Uganda Shilling has remained stable against major global currencies, despite the strengthening of the US dollar. Between April 2022 and April 2023, the Uganda Shilling depreciated by 5.8% against the US Dollar, compared to an average depreciation rate of 8% within the East African region. The stability of the exchange rate is due to the increase in Foreign Direct Investment inflows into the oil and gas sector, significant recovery in Tourism, and the recent good performance of exports.
- Uganda’s exports of merchandise goods amounted to US$ 4.2 billion compared to US$ 3.1 billion over the same period over the previous financial year. This represents a 35.5% increase, mainly driven by an increase in exports of gold, coffee, fish, sugar, beans, maize and light manufactured products to regional markets. The NRM Government has provided support through different initiatives to boost exports. These include the provision of long term and affordable capital, investment in transport infrastructure and energy in particular, plus building of industrial parks.
- Manufactured exports have re-emerged as a major contributor to merchandise exports. For example, in 2022 Uganda exported sugar worth US$ 163 million; cement worth US$ 87 million; plastics worth US$ 61 million; soap US$ 31 million and beer worth US$ 29 million. There were no exports of any of these items as recently as 2006.
- Uganda imported goods worth US$ 7.1 billion compared to US$ 5.8 billion in the same period of the previous financial year. This is a 22.4% increase, mainly driven by a rise in private sector imports, particularly in the oil and gas sector, plant and machinery for manufacturing, as well as the effect of imported inflation.
- Uganda recorded a trade surplus with our East African Community trading partners of US$ 1.0 billion. Tanzania remains the only EAC trading partner where we recorded a bilateral trade deficit of US$ 154 million. Our trade balance will be strengthened further as we continue to boost exports and enhance domestic manufacturing capacity to replace some imports.
- Foreign Direct Investment inflows to Uganda amounted to US$ 1.5 Billion by April 2023. Workers’ remittances increased to US$ 1.3 billion in calendar year 2022 compared to US$ 1.1 billion the previous year. This helps to finance our foreign exchange requirements, such as imports and debt service. Tourism revenue increased to US$ 847.8 million by April 2023 from US$ 777.8 million in the same period a year ago.
- The November 2022 National Labour Force survey puts the size of the Labor force at 23.5 million people. Out of these, 10 million were employed, representing 42% employment rate. Another 8.2 million, equivalent to 35%, were engaged in subsistence agriculture and 9 out of every 10 employed Ugandans were working in the informal sector. Close to 380,000 employment opportunities have been created under the Presidential Initiative on wealth and job creation – Emyooga.
- Total domestic revenue collections amounted to Shs 21.7 Trillion by May 2023 and are projected to be Shs 25.6 Trillion by close of the financial year. Total domestic revenue is equivalent to 13.9% of GDP and covers 68% of total expenditure, including interest payments on our public debt, but excluding the principal repayment of both external and domestic debt.
- Provision of affordable credit for micro and small enterprises and low[1]income groups through the Small Business Recovery Fund, Emyooga and Microfinance Support Centre; and funding for medium to large enterprises through the Uganda Development Bank.
- Provision of quality seedlings, pesticides, fertilizers, storage and marketing in the agro-industrialization value chain in order to increase agricultural production and productivity.
- Rapid development of oil and gas production, specifically the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and the National Oil Refinery.
- The Parish Development Model (PDM) is boosting household incomes as well as the development of micro-enterprises. Since the launch of the PDM in February 2022, a total of Shs. 590.2 billion has been disbursed to all the 10,459 parishes nationwide, translating into Shs. 50 million per parish. The balance will be disbursed by end this month.
- The Emyooga initiative has boosted household incomes and micro enterprises at parish and sub-county levels by directly funding parish and sub-county level enterprise groups. By March 2023, seed capital worth Shs. 249 billion had been disbursed to 6,721 constituency-based Emyooga SACCOs. Over 600,000 individuals had successfully applied for credit from their Parish-based Associations. Nearly half (46%) of these were women, youth (25%) and PWDs (4%).
- Eight Government owned industrial parks are currently operational. These are Namanve, Jinja, Bweyogerere, Mbale, Soroti Mbarara and Kasese, Luzira. In addition, there are three industrial parks developed under a Public Private Partnership arrangement at Kapeeka, Mukono and Buikwe. Uganda Investment Authority has acquired 12 square miles for industrial development provided by various Local Governments in the 18 zones across the country.
- Uganda’s global reputation as an investment destination has been boosted significantly in the recent past. Uganda has been named the Number One investment destination in East Africa, by the AIM Global 2023 Abu Dhabi. In addition, our country has been ranked among the top ten African countries for best investment destination in Africa by the African Development Bank. It is now also ranked first in East Africa for capital market growth by ABsa Bank.
- SMEs in the manufacturing and export sectors is supported by the US$ 200 million World Bank Investment for Industrial Transformation and Employment (INVITE) Project that will provide grants and concessional credit to qualifying SMEs. This intervention aims at increasing Ugandan manufactured export products, generate direct and indirect jobs for more than 200,000 workers, and safeguard existing jobs for 530,000 workers.
- Uganda has increasingly been recognized as a tourism destination and is ranked by CNN as one of the top 10 best tourist destinations in the World. We will continue to promote domestic and inbound tourism, including the use of digital platforms. Uganda will also be marketed as a global and regional center for Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions (MICE). Hospitality standards will be enforced through licensing, grading and classification of tourism facilities. Shs. 249 billion has been allocated for the promotion of Tourism.
- Access to health care by Ugandans remains a key priority. Consequently, 381 Health Center IIs have been upgraded to Health Center IIIs. In addition, 250 Health Center IIIs have been upgraded to Health Center IV and equipped, and are now functional, largely supported by the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program (UGIFT), which is co-funded by the World Bank.
- Construction and equipping of 31 new Health Center IIIs in sub counties without any health facility is 90% complete. The health referral system has also been enhanced by fully functionalizing 143 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and 5 High Dependency Units (HDUs) in National and Regional Referral Hospitals across the country.
- Uganda has registered significant progress in access to education. Uganda’s literacy rate improved from 70.2% in 2012 to 79% in 2021. Education enrolment in public schools is now 8.8 million children in primary school, 833,000 pupils in secondary and 174,000 students in tertiary institutions.
- To improve delivery of the recently launched curriculum, 3,100 teachers were trained, and inspection of learning institutions was enhanced using the e-inspection system. The Teacher Effectiveness and Learners Achievement (TELA) system has helped reduce teacher absenteeism and improved pupil attendance. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) has been revamped to support data management and decision making in education. To enhance sports development, talent identification, nurturing and professional development have been emphasized.
- In rural areas, gravity flow schemes have been completed at Lirima in Manafwa, Lukalu-Kabasanda in Butambala and Nyabuhikye-Kikyenke in Ibanda. Piped water systems have also been constructed at Nyakabingo in Rukungiri, Kabuyanda in Isingiro, and Orom Water Supply System in Kitgum-Lamwo. In addition, 40 solar powered mini piped schemes serving 173,000 persons have been constructed across 15 least served districts inclusing Lyantonde, Sembabule, Yumbe, Rakai, Buyende, Kamuli and Kakumiro.
- Access to safe and clean water is being enhanced to achieve 85% coverage in rural areas and 100% coverage in urban areas by the year 2025. The main activities towards this goal include: construction of 1,540 boreholes in 1,050 villages and town wards; building 49 large, 67 medium and 80 small piped water schemes in both urban and rural areas; and the rehabilitation and maintenance of 50 water systems in growth centers.
- Interventions that build human capital have been allocated Shs. 9.6 trillion. In addition, the Government together with the World Bank are implementing the US$ 500 million Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer programme to construct health centers III and IVs, seed secondary schools, and micro-scale irrigation facilities in Local Governments that do not have these facilities.
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