The National Treasurer of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Barbara Nekesa, has hailed the party’s ongoing leaders’ retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) as a major success, citing strong participation, unity, and clear alignment among Members of Parliament (MPs).
Addressing delegates on the sixth day of the conference in Kyankwanzi on Sunday, Nekesa described the retreat as having achieved its core objectives, particularly in orienting legislators and harmonizing their priorities with the NRM Manifesto for 2026–2031.
“We have had various submissions from ministries, departments, and agencies, and these have been well received by Members of Parliament,” she said, adding that the retreat was deliberately structured not only to provide policy orientation but also to align leaders’ thinking and planning with the party’s long-term strategic vision.
According to Nekesa, MPs strongly endorsed the initiative and proposed that such retreats be institutionalized on an annual basis. She noted that regular engagements would deepen legislators’ understanding of party policies, enhance oversight of government performance, and ultimately strengthen service delivery to Ugandans.
Nekesa underscored the importance of internal reflection as the NRM approaches four decades of leadership, stressing the need for continuous self-assessment to sustain its mission of steering Uganda toward long-term prosperity.
Central to the retreat’s discussions was a message from President Museveni, which focused on transforming household incomes as a foundation for sustainable socio-economic development. Nekesa said the President called on leaders to prioritize interventions that directly raise the earnings of ordinary citizens.
Nekesa explained that the President highlighted the need to boost productivity in key sectors, including agriculture, industry, and services.
In his remarks a few days ago, Museveni urged leaders to focus on value addition, improved production methods, and efficient resource utilization as critical drivers of economic growth.
He further challenged MPs to align all government programmes and policies toward expanding household incomes, noting that this approach would lead to improved livelihoods and significant reductions in poverty levels. He also emphasized discipline, consistency, and rigorous monitoring of implementation as essential to achieving tangible results.
Nekesa described the President’s message as a guiding framework for both the party’s upcoming manifesto and the broader government agenda, urging leaders to ensure that all interventions translate into measurable improvements in the welfare of citizens.
Nekesa also commended MPs for maintaining discipline and unity throughout the sessions, describing the atmosphere as cordial and collaborative.
Facilitators were praised for delivering insightful presentations that enriched deliberations and strengthened policy understanding.
On Tuesday, participants will visit the President’s farm in Ngoma where key resolutions from the retreat will be presented and formally adopted, marking a critical milestone in the programme.
The retreat, organized through a coordinated effort involving the NRM Secretariat, NALI administration, and various service providers, is expected to formally conclude on Wednesday.
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