On Saturday, July 19th, 2025, I was privileged to be invited—alongside other Kampala City leaders—to attend President Museveni’s Parish Development Model (PDM) Engagement Tour. I arrived at the venue right on time, just before noon. The tent was already filling up with leaders from across the city—both political representatives and technical managers. I sat quietly in my corner, wearing my technical hat, not a political one.

We waited for hours. Eventually, the President arrived. As is tradition, dignitaries lined up to receive him—the Minister for Kampala, the Executive Director of KCCA, Cabinet Ministers present, and others. Given the lateness of the hour, only a few speeches were permitted: one from the LC1 Chairperson of the area, another from the political representative, and finally, the President himself.

But this time, something was different.

Instead of his familiar opening—“From 1986, when the NRM came to power…”—he dived straight into the heart of the matter. He outlined five areas that, in his view, must be prioritized if Uganda is to continue moving forward: security, infrastructure, wealth creation, jobs, and services. He didn’t just talk—he showed. Videos played of Ugandans from different regions who are steadily building wealth. He highlighted how new factories are employing the youth and how entrepreneurs are not only building lives for themselves but also contributing to national growth by paying taxes.

He acknowledged the elephant in the room: the high cost of capital in Uganda. In response, he promised to inject more money into PDM especially in Savings & Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) across Kampala’s five divisions and other SME-targeted schemes.

As I listened, fully present, my mind drifted—across continents.

I thought of the many conversations I’ve had with our brothers and sisters in Canada—young Ugandans who left the country frustrated, disillusioned, and tired. I lived in Canada myself for nearly five years, starting in 2020. I’m now back in Uganda, but that journey is a story for another day.

Many of these young Ugandans feel betrayed by a system that couldn’t offer them opportunity. Their departure is understandable. But as I sat there, listening to the President’s vision for wealth creation, I kept asking myself: What if the bigger battle is not just in government policy, but in mindset of Ugandans?

Yes, Uganda has structural economic challenges. But so do other countries. The difference is, citizens in those places seem to recognize their role in nation-building. They don’t just wait for the state to act—they participate. They create & demand accountability! As Ugandans, we too have an unwritten mandate—to become participants, not observers in shaping our country’s future.

If you left Uganda in search of better job opportunities abroad, I get it. But have you ever considered investing your hard-earned dollars back home—perhaps by starting a business or investing in an existing one through partnerships? (Yes, I know the voice in your head says, “They’ll cheat me! I don’t trust anyone in Uganda!”—but there are smarter ways to invest back home. A post for another day.)

What if, instead of placing your money in low-return investments abroad—like regular savings accounts earning just 0.5% to 1.5% annually or low-dividend blue-chip stocks yielding around 2% to 3%—you chose to invest in a well-managed local venture that offers both higher returns and meaningful impact?
Imagine fixing your dollars in a well-run village SACCO here in Uganda, where average annual returns range between 10% and 15%. You’d be enabling a farmer in Rwakahaya Village to access affordable credit, boost their coffee harvest, and—ironically—those very coffee beans might end up brewed at a Starbucks café in Toronto, where you now work.

Everything is connected.

Don’t wait for Uganda to become perfect. It needs your ideas, your capital, your vision—now more than ever. Let’s stop seeing Uganda as a place we escaped from, and start seeing it as a place we can return to, invest in, and rebuild—on our own terms.

This is just the beginning of the conversation.

Let’s reconnect. Let’s rebuild. Let’s rise.