You don’t need good roads to fight poverty – Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has urged Ugandans to shift their focus from infrastructure development to personal wealth creation, arguing that poverty is an individual issue rather than a national one. 

Speaking at a rally in Rukiga District as part of his ongoing nationwide tour assessing the effectiveness of the Operation Wealth Creation program, Museveni dismissed the idea that good roads or electricity are prerequisites for prosperity.

Using his own life story as an example, the President challenged the youth to wake up and take charge of their financial independence, rather than waiting for government projects to improve their lives.

Development vs Personal Wealth

Museveni emphasised the difference between development and personal wealth, stating that while government initiatives such as roads, schools, and electricity benefit the entire community, they do not automatically eliminate poverty.

"The poverty you left at your house this morning when you go back, you will find it waiting for you. I will not be there. Your wealth or your poverty is yours alone," he told the crowd.

He pointed out that the Kampala-Mbarara-Kabale road was tarmacked as early as 1963, yet many people living along the route remain poor.

"If tarmac was medicine, there would be no poor people near it," he remarked, urging Ugandans to focus on productive activities such as farming, trade, and entrepreneurship, instead of relying on development projects to lift them out of poverty.

Museveni’s Rwakitura Example

Reflecting on his own journey, Museveni narrated how he bought land in Rwakitura in 1967 after finishing A Level and taking up a brief teaching job. 

He noted that, at the time, the area had no tarmac roads, no electricity, and no modern infrastructure, yet he still chose to settle there to rear cattle.

"Cows do not eat tarmac. They eat grass, which was in plenty in Rwakitura," he quipped, explaining that he prioritised wealth creation over comfort. 

Even during his time away at war, his family and cattle continued to thrive in the area, proving that success is not dependent on modern infrastructure.

A Call to Action for Ugandans

Museveni urged Ugandans, particularly the youth, to stop making excuses and take advantage of the government’s wealth creation programs to secure their financial future. He reminded them that by the time development finally reached Rwakitura, he had already achieved financial stability.

"Development only arrived recently in Rwakitura, and we now have a good road and electricity, but all this came when I was already rich. This is what we are telling our people," he said.

The President concluded by reaffirming his commitment to ensuring prosperity for all, stating:

"I am not poor, and I do not want anyone around me to be poor."

His message was clear—success starts with individual effort, not government infrastructure projects.