President Museveni Leads MPs in Shooting Drill, Issues Strong Anti-Corruption Warning at Kyankwanzi Retreat Close

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni led Members of Parliament through a practical shooting exercise at the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi (NALI), using the session to reinforce the importance of national defence, discipline, and the fight against corruption.

The exercise marked the final activity of the legislators’ week-long retreat, which officially concluded a day earlier. The retreat, held from April 7 to 14, 2026, brought together NRM leaders under the theme: “Aligning the NRM leadership towards protecting the gains and making a bold, qualitative leap towards a higher middle-income status society.”

Practical training and the “people’s army” concept

During the session, President Museveni personally guided MPs on basic firearms handling, observing their performance and commending those with prior experience.

“I congratulate the participants. I can see some of them are veterans,” he remarked.

The President used the exercise to elaborate on Uganda’s long-standing security doctrine anchored in the concept of a “people’s army.” He explained that this approach emphasizes equipping ordinary citizens with basic military skills, enabling them to return to civilian life while remaining part of a reserve force that can be mobilized in times of national need.

“Ours is a people’s army. We encourage citizens to learn the science of arms so that in case of any threat, we can mobilise numbers for national defence,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with countries like Israel, Museveni noted that even nations with relatively smaller populations can build formidable defence systems through continuous training and structured reserve forces.

“This is how you maximise defence. People train, go back to their normal lives, but remain ready,” he added.

Reflecting on Uganda’s own history, the President cited previous instances where trained local defence units were mobilised to respond to security threats, underscoring the value of preparedness and citizen involvement in national security.

Strong warning against corruption

Beyond defence, the President delivered a firm message on governance, identifying corruption as the single greatest threat to Uganda’s progress.

“The first thing you must do is to fight corruption. If you don’t, all these efforts will be for nothing,” he cautioned.

He specifically warned MPs against engaging in bribery and vote-buying, practices he described as not only unethical but also harmful to long-term national development.

“Do not bribe voters. You cannot give someone a small amount of money to decide leadership for five years. That is wrong,” he emphasized.

Museveni urged leaders to embrace integrity and accountability, stressing that public trust is fundamental to sustainable governance and economic transformation.

Call for financial discipline and self-reliance

The President also challenged legislators to practice financial discipline, advising them to rely on structured support systems such as savings and credit cooperatives instead of unsustainable borrowing.

“A bankrupt leader should not be a leader. Stand on your own and work with the systems we have put in place,” he said.

He highlighted government efforts to support the welfare of security personnel through collective programmes, including education for soldiers’ children, scholarships, housing, healthcare, and SACCO initiatives such as Wazalendo.

“We did not have much money for high salaries, but we focused on supporting soldiers through education, housing, and healthcare,” he noted.

Museveni added that empowering families—particularly those of soldiers—to engage in productive economic activities has been key to improving livelihoods without resorting to corrupt practices.

Renewed commitment to service

As the retreat concluded, the President called on MPs to return to their constituencies with renewed dedication to service, integrity, and wealth creation among wananchi.

He stressed that Uganda’s transformation into a higher middle-income economy depends on disciplined leadership, elimination of corruption, and active citizen participation in the money economy. 

“I wish you good luck as you go back to serve your constituencies,” he said.

NALI leadership commends initiative

On his part, Col. Okei Rukogota, Director of NALI, expressed appreciation to the President for recently inaugurating the institute’s shooting range, noting that it will enhance civilian training in basic defence skills.

He said the initiative aligns with the President’s long-standing vision of equipping citizens with practical capabilities to strengthen national security and reduce violence.

“This is testimony that you have never been a dictator, because dictators cannot empower citizens with the means of defence,” Col. Rukogota stated.

He further commended the continued efforts to build a citizenry capable of safeguarding Uganda’s democratic processes and contributing to the country’s socio-economic transformation.

The Kyankwanzi retreat, now a key fixture in Uganda’s political calendar, once again underscored the NRM leadership’s focus on ideological orientation, governance discipline, and strategic alignment as the country advances its long-term development agenda.