KAMPALA. The Office of the National Chairman (ONC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has called on Ugandans to use the country’s 64th Independence Anniversary to reflect on the importance of peace, stability and national development.
In an Independence message issued on Tuesday, ONC Manager and Senior Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, said Uganda’s attainment of political independence on October 9, 1962, did not immediately translate into peace and security.
She said the country’s history should inform how Ugandans approach the future, arguing that political freedom is most meaningful when it is accompanied by peace, security and stability.
Reflecting on Uganda’s history
Hajjat Namyalo said the years following independence were characterised by political crises, military coups and armed conflicts, which affected the country’s stability and development.
She credited the NRM’s rise to power in 1986 with efforts to restore peace, rebuild institutions and create conditions for national reconstruction.
“When President Museveni assumed leadership in 1986, he inherited a country deeply damaged by years of conflict and political turmoil,” she said.
Hajjat Namyalo said the NRM’s liberation struggle was, according to the movement’s account, intended not simply to take political power but to restore Uganda and create conditions in which citizens could enjoy the independence attained in 1962.
“That is why we say that 1962 gave Uganda political independence, but the NRM under President Museveni gave that independence a stronger foundation of peace, stability and national reconstruction,” she said.
She said peace, security and stability remain important to national development, noting that insecurity can limit citizens’ ability to enjoy their freedoms while instability can undermine sustainable development.
Protecting the gains
Hajjat Namyalo urged Ugandans to recognise the progress made while remaining conscious of the country’s difficult past.
She said citizens today have space to debate, criticise government and participate in political activities, and urged them to exercise those freedoms responsibly.
“Today, Ugandans can debate, criticise government and participate in politics because the country has created a political environment in which that freedom can be exercised,” she said.
The ONC manager cautioned against actions that could undermine the country’s stability and called on Ugandans to handle political differences peacefully.
She said the country’s achievements should be protected as Ugandans work towards further development.
Call for responsible use of oil
Hajjat Namyalo also highlighted Uganda’s natural resources, particularly oil, calling for the country’s petroleum wealth to benefit citizens.
She said the discovery of oil presents an opportunity to support national development and improve the livelihoods of Ugandans if the resource is managed responsibly.
“The discovery of our treasure oil in Uganda has to benefit us all, not to be turned messy,” she said.
She also called for humility and responsibility among leaders, saying Uganda’s future requires leaders who understand the responsibility entrusted to them by citizens.
Message of unity
As the country prepares to celebrate 64 years of independence, Hajjat Namyalo urged Ugandans to mark the occasion peacefully and reflect on the responsibilities that come with nation-building.
“Let us celebrate independence, with a clear mind, peaceful thoughts and stability that have enabled our independence to become meaningful,” she said.
She called for unity, responsible leadership and continued protection of Uganda’s peace and stability, while urging citizens to ensure that the country’s natural resources contribute to the welfare of all Ugandans.
Uganda will mark its 64th Independence Anniversary on October 9, 2026, commemorating the country’s attainment of political independence in 1962.