“I want to use this occasion to rally the Muslim community to join the NRM’s wealth creation sensitization drive that I am currently conducting across the country. Whereas we can have spectators in sports and theatre, wealth creation must involve everyone,” H.E Museveni emphasized.

President Museveni’s remarks were contained in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Vice President Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo Rose Epel during the Iftar dinner to the Muslim Community hosted at State House Entebbe on Friday evening 14th April 2023.

It should be noted that early this year President Museveni embarked on an investment and wealth creation tour across the country starting with Acholi sub region and recently West Nile on the theme “securing your future through wealth creation and shared prosperity”.

According to H.E. the President, in order to acquire happiness, both the soul and the body must be adequately catered for in terms of food, clothing, medication, and shelter, among other things, which cannot be obtained without money in a contemporary economy because they have a monetary cost.

“In a modern economy, being without money is equivalent to committing social suicide.” You cannot survive until you earn money. This is why we advocate for the abolition of subsistence farming, or the practice of working solely for one’s stomach or food. A person who just creates for his or her personal consumption has a low output. Such a person cannot succeed since their labor is insufficient to adequately provide for all of life’s essentials,” H.E Museveni stated.

For example, he stated that the 39% of households that are still engaged in subsistence farming, producing primarily for the stomach, must be linked into the money system in order to tap into their dormant potential.

“This is extremely dangerous for the country because it means they will be unable to meet other needs that can only be met with money.” Their output is really modest. This results in low incomes and, consequently, poor purchasing power,” the President highlighted, adding that this issue must be addressed by encouraging more people to choose viable businesses in the four sectors of commercial agriculture, industries, services, and information and communication technology.

According to Gen. Museveni, while the NRM has laid the groundwork for Uganda’s socioeconomic change by emphasizing peace, security, infrastructure development, and campaigning for access to regional and international markets, development alone is not sufficient, even though it must come first. When development results in jobs and wealth for households, it becomes useful.

“As a result, I urge you all to take advantage of these favorable conditions in order to raise prosperous families,” he said.

The President commended Uganda’s Muslim community for making it thus far in Ramadan and encouraged them to continue their good works.

“I pray that you maintain the virtues of discipline, humility, and charity that you demonstrated during the fasting period.” “Your righteousness should not be limited to the holy month of Ramadan; it should pervade your entire being,” he stated.

His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, Mufti of Uganda, thanked President Museveni for championing Muslim fraternity unity and his ongoing support for the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council in revising their constitution and carrying out Uganda Muslim general elections from the grassroots to the national level, where thousands of qualified new Muslim leaders, including women and youth, were elected.

“On behalf of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council and the entire Muslim fraternity, I applaud your unwavering contribution to Muslim unity. I personally thank you for intervening and encouraging Ugandan Muslim unity,” H.E Mubajje remarked, adding that one of the new breakthroughs is the establishment of a property trust, which is an independent body established to manage and promote Muslim holdings in Uganda.

In terms of poverty alleviation initiatives in the country and other financial programs, the Mufti recommended that the President explore the implementation of Islamic banking to allow for the inclusion of all people, including Muslims.

He assured the President of the Muslim brotherhood and other religious groups under the Inter-religious Council of Uganda’s complete cooperation in preserving Ugandan and African values by denouncing homosexuality.