President Yoweri Museveni has strongly criticised a recent opinion piece published in the Daily Monitor by columnist Gawaya Tegulle, dismissing its claim that Uganda has spent 40 years “wandering in the wilderness” under his leadership.
Speaking on Thursday during the State of the Nation Address, Museveni directly took issue with the article, accusing the writer of misleading the public and misrepresenting Uganda’s development progress.
“In the negative Monitor newspaper, there is an article by an individual known as Gawaya Tegulle who is always writing mendaciously and maliciously, saying that Uganda has been wandering in the desert for 40 years like the children of Israel,” Museveni said.
He argued that such commentary distorts public understanding and undermines government efforts aimed at poverty eradication and economic transformation.
“Those who are wandering in the desert are partly among those who listen to those liars. If you listen to the liars, you'll wander in the desert,” he said.
The President maintained that Uganda has recorded steady progress over the years, particularly through government programmes designed to improve household incomes and promote self-reliance.
“It is true that many leaders do not amplify this message of how people can get out of poverty. However, those who do have changed their lives,” Museveni added.
The remarks came in response to a column that argued that despite Cabinet reshuffles, Uganda’s political structure has remained largely unchanged, with what the writer described as a persistent “centre of gravity” in power.
The article also claimed that the country has experienced decades of limited institutional reform, leading to persistent poverty, unemployment and weak public services.
Museveni rejected that framing, insisting that the government’s focus has been on economic transformation and expanding opportunities at the grassroots level.
Gawaya Tegulle's article in the Monitor
His comments also reflect ongoing tensions between State House and sections of the independent media, which have frequently questioned the pace and impact of government programmes.
The Monitor column had further argued that Uganda’s repeated Cabinet changes have not altered the core system of governance, but only shifted individuals within it, leaving structural challenges intact.
Museveni, however, maintained that progress should be measured by visible improvements in livelihoods, not commentary in the press.