President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has used his 82nd birthday message to call for deeper African economic and political integration while defending Uganda’s petroleum supply arrangements through Kenya.
Museveni, who turned 82 on September 15th, 2026, thanked Ugandans and other well-wishers for the birthday messages he received, saying the goodwill and blessings would give him and his wife, Janet Museveni, strength to continue serving for years to come.
“I want to thank the 8 million well-wishers that sent me congratulations on my 82nd birthday on the 15th of September 2026. Those well-wishes and God’s blessings will push me and Maama for another just 18 years to reach 100 years of age and for Maama to reach 96 years,” Museveni said.
The President then turned his attention to what he described as three unfinished historical missions for Africa, arguing that their achievement would be critical to the continent’s prosperity and security.
He said Africans needed to build a stronger common market to expand opportunities for wealth creators, pursue political integration where possible and strengthen unity among the continent’s diverse linguistic groups.
“These are: prosperity for the Africans through integrating the African common market to help the wealth creators expand; strategic security against all threats through the political integration of the continent where possible, such as is the case with the East African Federation,” he noted.
President Museveni also called for undugu, or brotherhood, among Africa’s major linguistic communities.
“It is the fulfilment of these historical missions, that will guarantee our prosperity and strategic security,” he said.
The President also revisited his recent remarks about Uganda’s petroleum imports, saying some Kenyan media outlets had misrepresented what he said while presiding over the laying of the foundation stone for a 320-million-litre oil storage facility at Buyala.
“In the meantime, some Kenya Media People decided, recently, to put pilipili (red pepper) in what I said recently when I was laying the Foundation stone of the 320 million litres oil storage centre at Buyala,” he stated.
Museveni added that Uganda had previously been unaware that petroleum products were being procured through middlemen in Kenya.
He said a Kenyan senator, Jirongo, brought the issue to his attention around 2019, prompting him to task the then Energy Minister, Irene Muloni, with addressing the matter.
“Nevertheless, nothing happened, until 2023 when we linked up with a group known as Vitol that has refineries in different parts of the World and are also bulk suppliers,” Museveni said.
According to Museveni, an agreement reached with Vitol on August 18th, 2023, resulted in lower prices for diesel, petrol and aviation fuel.
He highlighted that the price of diesel fell from $118 to $83 per metric tonne, petrol from $97.50 to $61.50, and aviation fuel from $114.25 to $79.25.
President Museveni also praised Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto for supporting the new arrangement, saying Uganda was subsequently allowed to transport its petroleum products through the Kenya oil pipeline.
“I want to thank H.E Ruto because he prevailed over some actors in Kenya who were trying to resist,” President Museveni said.
He noted that Uganda had also acquired a 20.15 percent shareholding in the pipeline.
“We are very happy with the Kenya Government of President Ruto on this matter,” Museveni noted.
The message ended with President Museveni linking Uganda’s petroleum strategy to his wider argument for regional cooperation, saying stronger African integration was necessary to protect the continent’s economic interests and strategic security.
