PRESIDENT MUSEVENI URGES STUDENT LEADERS TO CHAMPION WEALTH CREATION AND IDEOLOGICAL CLARITY

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday met and held insightful
discussions with leaders of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network at
State Lodge, Nakasero.

During the meeting, the President urged student leaders to understand
the fundamental problems of society and position themselves as solution
providers rather than dependents.

“Society is like medicine because a doctor looks at a patient and says
what is this patient suffering from? That means you do a diagnosis, you
do analysis; is it malaria or? That’s what politics should be and even you
people should understand what are the problems of your society,”
President Museveni said, relating this to his time as a student.

“We used to study political economy in universities. It was helping us to
know the evolution of society.”

The President stressed that from the 1960s, the struggle was centered
on wealth creation, warning against a mindset of dependence.

“From the 1960s, we were emphasising wealth creation. We must have
a society of wealth creators, not parasites. People don’t want to work but
want to eat. Once you are a wealth creator, you become responsible.
Families of wealth creators build a strong society,” he said.

Using his own experience as a cattle keeper, President Museveni
illustrated the importance of markets, patriotism, and regional

integration. He explained that while he produces milk, beef, and
bananas, local consumption alone is insufficient, hence the need for a
wider national and regional market.

“That is why NRM talks about patriotism; love Uganda because you
need it for your own good. And when Uganda’s internal market is not
enough, you need the East African market. That is why you must love
Africa for your prosperity.”

The President also emphasized the importance of ideology, describing it
as a systematized way of understanding society that guides social,
political, and economic actions.

He also cautioned student leaders against violence, noting that public
infrastructure is built through collective taxation and belongs to the
people.
“You cannot have ideology in your head and then go for violence.
Violence destroys what you and others have jointly built through taxes,”
he noted.

He further encouraged the leaders to have clear principles and timing in
decision making.

“Fighting is like surgery. It is only used when other methods have failed,
and even then, it must be targeted, not random,” the President said.
President Museveni also advised the students to continue engaging their
peers through remote communication channels such as social media,
local radio stations, and SMS platforms to reach wider audiences.

“You have your network. Use social media and other remote means like
radios and SMS to communicate and mobilize,” he added.

Students Commit to Promoting Peace, Stability and Mindset Change:
Speaking on behalf of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network, Mr.
James Ssentamu said the engagement aimed at finding ways to benefit
university students and the country at large.

“The idea is to see how best we can benefit students from our
universities as well as the country,” he said, adding that they were
committed to using their leadership skills to create positive change in
students’ lives.

The delegation also noted that they have been actively engaged in
activities aimed at promoting peace and stability, particularly within
universities and other tertiary institutions, thus reaffirming their
commitment to peace and dialogue.

The meeting was attended by Guild Presidents from Makerere
University, Gulu University, Uganda Christian University, Kyambogo
University, Rubirizi Institute, Ankole University, Makerere University
Business School, Medcare Health Professionals, among others.