The President emphasised the need to ensure that economic growth translates into improved household incomes, citing government programmes such as Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“Can you have a strong army and a strong and safe country without a strong economy? Can you have a strong defence force and a strong and safe country without cohesive politics? Finally, can you have a strong defence force and a strong and safe country without, in some cases, addressing the issue of geo-strategic location such as being landlocked?” President Museveni asked.
Turning to security, Museveni argued that Africa's future strength will depend on political unity, saying individual countries may not have the capacity to compete globally in areas such as space and maritime security.
The President directed veteran leaders to account for UGX 231 billion disbursed over the years under a 2009 arrangement that provided financial support to liberation war leaders, their spouses, and support cadres.