“Enough Is Enough”: Museveni Warns Underperforming Ministers Over Poverty and Service Delivery
President Yoweri Museveni has issued a strong warning to incoming cabinet officials, saying leaders who fail to use government programs to lift citizens out of poverty risk being dismissed from office.
Speaking shortly after the election of Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth as Speaker and Thomas Tayebwa as Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Monday, Museveni said he would no longer tolerate leaders who seek political titles without improving the welfare of the people they represent.
“Enough is enough,” Museveni declared, adding that he was in a “very bad mood” over the continued poverty levels in communities despite years of government investment in wealth-creation programs.
The President said Uganda has implemented several poverty eradication initiatives over the years, including Entandikwa, Operation Wealth Creation, and the Parish Development Model (PDM), and argued that leaders can no longer claim they lack the tools needed to transform livelihoods.
“In the past, I’ve been polite. I talk, talk as if I’m a preacher like John the Baptist. Please, please, please. But now, as President of Uganda and chairman of the NRM, I will be very, very rough with people who want titles but don’t want to help, who betray the people they lead,” Museveni said.
Museveni highlighted the Parish Development Model as a key government strategy aimed at fighting household poverty, noting that every parish has access to revolving funds worth hundreds of millions of shillings to support income-generating activities.
According to the President, ministers and political leaders will increasingly be judged based on the economic progress of the communities they serve.
“If I come to your area and I find that you have not helped your people, I will sack you,” Museveni warned. “Why should I care about leaders who don’t care about their own people?”
The President also criticized what he described as misplaced priorities among some politicians, questioning why leaders spend time celebrating European football clubs while people in their constituencies remain unemployed and poor.
“How can you be celebrating European clubs when your people don’t have jobs and are living in poverty?” he asked, in apparent reference to recent celebrations by supporters of English football club Arsenal F.C..
Throughout his address, Museveni cited examples of Ugandans who used small amounts of capital from government programs to establish successful agricultural and business ventures. He argued that poverty can be defeated if leaders actively mobilize communities to participate in national development initiatives.
Although Museveni did not directly mention former Speaker Anita Annet Among, his remarks are expected to fuel political debate over whether the comments were aimed at senior leaders who have recently faced public criticism.
Among recently withdrew from the race for Speaker ahead of the opening of the 12th Parliament, ending months of speculation about her political future. Her tenure had faced increasing public scrutiny over parliamentary spending and accountability concerns.
However, Museveni framed his remarks broadly, targeting ministers, Members of Parliament, and National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders whom he accused of failing to ensure that government programs directly benefit ordinary citizens.
The President’s latest warning signals a potentially tougher stance on accountability and service delivery within government as Uganda continues to grapple with unemployment, poverty, and economic challenges.
