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SPEECH BY H.E. YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA DURING THE LAUNCH OF THE CATHOLIC LAWYERS SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. ST. AUGUSTINE’S INSTITUTTE, NSAMBYA KAMPALA. 29TH APRIL, 2023.

Rt. Rev. Guiseppe Filippe, Bishop Emeritus of Kotido Diocese;

All the Catholic Lawyers;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I want to thank Mr. Twinobusingye Severino, President, Catholic Lawyers Society International, for the warm invitation extended to me to officiate as Chief Guest at the launch of your activities. I have not been able to join you because of earlier scheduled national engagements. I have, however, asked H.E. Jessica Alupo, Vice President of Uganda, to represent me at the function and deliver my message to you.

I thank the Catholic Lawyers for demonstrating a concern for social issues beyond their legal practice. The NRA’s liberation struggle was against bankrupt leadership, which promoted sectarian ideas of tribe, religion etc. and eliminating social backwardness, characterized by ignorance, disease and pre-capitalist or subsistence modes of production.

Therefore, the main goal is achieving socio-economic transformation, by helping the remaining 39% of homesteads to join the modernity of the four sectors: commercial agriculture, with good calculation; industries; services; and ICT. To have subsistence farmers in your areas, as lawyers, is unacceptable.

Since 1986, the NRM has been telling Ugandans that there are two major players in a modern economy. The first group are the producers i.e. the farmers, industrialists, service providers etc.

These are also called the wealth creators. They invest natural, human and financial resources into the production of goods and services that people need. The second group are the consumers i.e. the market, that buy the goods and services of the producers. If you produce a good or a service and nobody or only a few people buy it, your enterprise collapses. Therefore, a market is important and the bigger the market, the more the profits.

There are also important enablers which are needed to lower the costs of production in order to guarantee the profitability of enterprises and convey the goods and services to the consumers. These enablers include: peace and security, good roads, electricity, low costs of labour, favourable policies, ICT backbone, railways etc.
Regional and Continental integration of the African is another indispensable factor in this process of transformation. An aggressive production programme needs market outlets to sustain itself.

‘Therefore, I applaud the Catholic lawyers for initiating social uplift programs aimed at improving the well-being of the people.

The NRM Government has established a solid foundation for Uganda’s development and socio-economic transformation. However, development alone is not enough; though it must come first. Development is a collective good for everyone; but wealth and jobs belong to individuals, families, groups or companies.

Finally, I wish to congratulate the Catholic Lawyers Society International upon the launch of your activities and wish you success in all your future plans and endeavors.

I thank you all.