President Museveni has met and held discussions with leaders of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network at State Lodge, Nakasero, urging them to understand the fundamental challenges facing society and position themselves as solution providers rather than dependents.
During the meeting, the President likened politics and leadership to medical practice, stressing the importance of diagnosis and analysis in addressing societal problems.
“Society is like medicine. A doctor looks at a patient and asks, ‘What is this patient suffering from?’ That means you do a diagnosis and an analysis. Is it malaria or something else? That is how politics should be approached, and that is how you should understand the problems of your society,” President Museveni said, recalling his time as a student.
He added that the study of political economy in universities during his youth helped leaders understand the evolution of society.
The President emphasized that since the 1960s, the central struggle has been wealth creation, cautioning against a culture of dependency.
“We were emphasizing wealth creation as early as the 1960s. We must build a society of wealth creators, not dependents. People should work and produce. Once you are a wealth creator, you become responsible, and families of wealth creators build a strong society,” he said.
Drawing from his experience as a cattle keeper, President Museveni illustrated the importance of markets, patriotism and regional integration. He noted that while he produces milk, beef and bananas, local consumption alone is insufficient, making access to wider national and regional markets essential.
“That is why the NRM emphasizes patriotism—loving 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 also value Africa for your prosperity,” he said.
The President also underscored the importance of ideology, describing it as a systematic way of understanding society that guides social, political and economic action.
He cautioned student leaders against violence, noting that public infrastructure is built through collective taxation and belongs to the people.
“You cannot claim to have ideology and then resort to violence. Violence destroys what you and others have jointly built through taxes,” he said.
President Museveni further advised the student leaders to uphold clear principles and exercise proper judgment in decision-making.
“Struggle is like surgery. It is only used when all other methods have failed, and even then, it must be targeted and not random,” he said.
He encouraged the leaders to continue engaging their peers using modern communication platforms such as social media, local radio stations and SMS to reach wider audiences.
“You have your network. Use social media and other remote means like radio and SMS to communicate and mobilize,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network, James Ssentamu said the engagement was aimed at identifying ways to benefit university students and the country at large.
“The idea is to see how best we can benefit students from our universities and the country,” he said, adding that the leaders are committed to using their positions to create positive change in students’ lives.
The student leaders also noted that they have been actively involved in initiatives promoting peace and stability within universities and other tertiary institutions, reaffirming their commitment to dialogue and non-violence.
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 other institutions.
