President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed Parliament to refocus the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, warning against what he described as “meandering” into issues that are not part of its original intent.
In a detailed statement addressed to Ugandans, Museveni questioned public debate surrounding the Bill, saying he had recently “noticed a lot of orwaari (noise, kelele), regarding the Sovereignty Bill. Which Sovereignty Bill is the rwaari about? The one I initiated in the Cabinet or another one?”
He clarified that the Bill he initiated was not intended to interfere with financial flows such as foreign investment or remittances, stressing: “The Bill will stop FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments), support for religious bodies from abroad, Remittances from Ugandans working abroad, etc., etc. Really!! That is not the Bill I initiated.”
What sovereignty means – Museveni’s position
Museveni traced the idea of sovereignty to Africa’s historical struggle against colonial rule.
He linked this to Pan-African resistance movements, adding: “It is that Sovereignty that we were fighting for. Sovereignty in policy decision-making.”
He further explained that sovereignty should focus on national decision-making in political, economic, social, and diplomatic matters.
Quoting Julius Nyerere, he added that “Independence means the right to make our own mistakes if necessary and learn from them.”
On interference and foreign influence
The President strongly cautioned against external interference.
He emphasized that Uganda’s Constitution already provides mechanisms for expressing sovereignty.
On economy and private sector freedom
Museveni rejected any interpretation of the Bill that would restrict financial flows, making it clear that “We run a free economy. Forex is bought and sold in privately run Forex Bureaus.”
He added that Uganda’s economic model depends on private sector freedom. “This is the strength of the Ugandan economy. The freedom of the Private Sector compensates for the obstructions of the corrupt or non-patriotic public servants./,” he said.
Call to Parliament
Museveni said he had engaged parliamentary leadership to correct what he sees as distortions in the Bill’s scope.
“I have talked to [Government Chief Whip] Hon. Hamson Obua and the Chairpersons of the relevant Parliamentary Committees to make the Bill concentrate on the Sovereignty of policy-decision-making and not to meander,” the president wrote.
Museveni’s full statement
Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu. Habaari. Greetings to all of you.
Of recent, I have noticed a lot of orwaari (noise, kelele), regarding the Sovereignty Bill. Which Sovereignty Bill is the rwaari about? The one I initiated in the Cabinet or another one? The Bill will stop FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments), support for religious bodies from abroad, Remittances from Ugandans working abroad, etc., etc. Really!! That is not the Bill I initiated.
The Bill I initiated, was about what and what the whole of Africa fought for ever since 1900 when the whole of Africa, except for Ethiopia, had been shamefully colonized after 400 years of slave trade because of our egocentric Kings that were spending more energy causing wars among us than uniting us to defend ourselves.
Starting with the Afro-American Pan-Africanists such as Marcus Garvey and the ANC founded in 1912, the African Resistance, assisted by some other factors such as the support of the Socialist Countries of the USSR and China, finally defeated the colonial invasion with the freedom of South Africa in 1994. A whole century spent on that effort for survival as free People.
It is that Sovereignty that we were fighting for. Sovereignty in what? In policy decision-making. Policy decision-making on what issues? Policy decision-making on political issues (e.g., special women representation in Parliament or UPDF representation in Parliament); social issues (e.g., promotion of homo-sexuality or not); economic issues (e.g., privatization or not, return of Asian properties or not); diplomatic issues (e.g., taking sides on the issues of the Ukraine- Russian war or remaining neutral); etc., etc.
As Mwalimu once said, Independence means the right to make our own mistakes if necessary and learn from them. Sovereignty means: “Please, muteleke (leave us alone), so that we make our own decisions.” Do not fund groups to influence our decisions as a country. As our Constitution covered it, we exercise our sovereignty regularly through elections and referenda (Article 1(4), Article 59 and 68 of the Constitution).
To all and sundry, please do not interfere by word, action or money in that effort. Policy and ideological decisions can make or break countries. Uganda had become a failed state because of the politics of identity (tribe, religion, gender- chauvinism) as opposed to politics of interests- (e.g., markets for products of the wealth-creators).
The NRM and Ugandans have made choices on Politics, social issues, diplomatic issues and economic issues over the last 40 years. None of them says : Do not send to Uganda or take out of Uganda money you have earned legally anywhere in the World; do not send church donations to or from Uganda; do not receive or send out remittances from Ugandans working abroad. We run a free economy. Forex is bought and sold in privately run Forex Bureaus.
This is the strength of the Ugandan economy. The freedom of the Private Sector compensates for the obstructions of the corrupt or non‑patriotic public servants and Political opportunists passing for politicians.
With some traditional cattle keepers, I privately defended and resurrected the precious Ankole Cattle that the so‑called experts of neo‑colonialism and colonialism, had said was “neither good for beef or for milk”. The Ankole cattle are now a big hit in the World. I salute H.E Ramaphosa for assisting us in promoting the Ankole cattle when he bought (or took for nearly free) 43 cows from Kisozi.
Therefore, the NRM cannot countenance the interference with the freedom of movement of capital and money into or out of Uganda because that is our insurance against the corrupt public servants and politicians and our main instrument for growth and social-economic transformation. Uganda has thrived in spite of those traitors because of that policy.
I have talked to Hon. Hamson Obua and the Chairpersons of the relevant Parliamentary Committees to make the Bill concentrate on the Sovereignty of policy‑decision‑making and not to meander in the areas of the freedom of Private enterprise transfers or private money transfers or church donations.
With regard to those who want to influence others, go back to Jesus. He said, in the Book of Matthew chapter 5 verse16 that let your light so shine before men, that they see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven. Influence People by example and not by coercion or manipulation.
Long live Africa.
Signed:
Yoweri K. Museveni
Ssaabalwanyi
You can read Buganda Kingdom’s argument on what’s wrong with the Bill and how it can be fixed, as well as Bank of Uganda governor’s warning that the Bill will cause collapse of the economy Here and There.
