President Yoweri Museveni has firmly asserted that foreign influences pose no risk to Uganda’s sovereignty or its economic progression.

This strong declaration comes in response to sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and the United States on Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, and several ministers, including Goreti Kitutu, Agnes Nandutu, and Amos Lugolobi.

The sanctions were imposed following the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in May 2023, a move that has faced considerable criticism from international donors.

Delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday, Museveni emphasized the resilience and forward momentum of Uganda’s economy and society, dismissing any notion of foreign intimidation.

“Uganda’s economy and society are moving forward, the mistakes by some actors notwithstanding. The foreigners interfering in our internal affairs are not a threat at all. No foreigner can threaten us…nobody can threaten us,” Museveni declared.

The President also urged the East African Community (EAC) to strive for greater unity by fully implementing the Common Market Protocol and Customs Union Protocols.

He emphasized the need to consolidate the fragmented markets of East Africa into a single unified market to enhance regional economic stability and growth. Additionally, Museveni announced a directive to halt the export of raw minerals to promote local processing and value addition, a move aimed at boosting the national economy.

Highlighting Uganda’s economic milestones, Museveni noted that the country has achieved lower middle-income status with a per capita income of USD 1182.
“We have just entered the ground floor of the middle income. Just the first floor…we are down there now,” Museveni remarked, signalling optimism for further economic development.

Supporting the President’s stance, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among emphasized the significance of the State of the Nation Address as an opportunity to reflect on the country’s achievements, challenges, and the government’s legislative agenda for the coming session.

She urged Members of Parliament to remain steadfast in their commitment to Uganda’s Vision, despite facing external criticisms and sanctions.

“We are aware that the call to leadership sometimes comes with the risk of being misunderstood, criticized, opposed, accused, sanctioned, or even rejected. But we owe it to our society to stand firm,” Among stated, reinforcing the government’s determination to uphold Uganda’s sovereignty and pursue its developmental goals.

The State of the Nation Address has reaffirmed Uganda’s stance on maintaining its sovereignty against foreign influences and highlighted the government’s continued efforts to drive economic progress and regional integration.