Former Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda has issued a sharp critique of Uganda’s economic trajectory, questioning long-term governance outcomes and highlighting rising social hardship across the country.
“As a journalist, I have had to listen to boring Museveni speeches for 13 years, and as an MP for 15 years and because I am invited on TVs and radios, this burden is not about to go away,” Ssemujju said, adding that repeated government messaging on development contrasts sharply with the lived realities of citizens.
His remarks come days after President Yoweri Museveni, during his State of the Nation Address, questioned why some Ugandans travel to Dubai for work, arguing that they were leaving what he described as a country with abundant opportunities.
Museveni urged citizens to focus more on local wealth creation, particularly in agriculture, and suggested that Uganda offers sufficient economic potential to reduce labour migration.
Ssemujju, however, used the occasion to challenge that narrative.
“Imagine this afternoon he is wondering why Ugandans go for kyeyo in Dubai which Amin gave food during his reign,” he said, drawing historical comparisons while questioning current employment realities.
Citing figures he attributed to the 2024 population census, Ssemujju pointed to what he described as deepening socio-economic pressures.
He claimed that 20 million out of 46 million Ugandans are food insecure, while 5.6 million households live in single-room housing.
He also stated that 28 million people rely on firewood as their primary energy source, and about 14 million citizens lack access to two sets of clothing.
He further argued that Uganda’s economy, built over 41 years under Museveni’s leadership, has not generated sufficient employment opportunities for graduates entering the job market.
“The economy he has built for 41 years cannot employ 1.7 million people with degrees, diplomas and certificates,” he said.
The remarks add to ongoing political debate over unemployment, poverty, and labour migration, issues that continue to dominate public discourse