Minister Babalanda Roots for Coordination, Accountability to Drive Wealth-Creation

NALI-KYANKWANZI: The Minister for the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Budiope West Constituency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has underscored the strategic role of the Governance and Security Programme (GSP) in anchoring Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, wealth creation and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

She was speaking today, 14th October 2026, at the National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi, where she addressed 250 senior military and civilian officers of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) during a week-long capacity-building retreat.

Hon. Babalanda commended the leadership of NALI-Kyankwanzi and the OWC Secretariat for organizing the retreat, noting that it comes at a critical time when Uganda is implementing the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and pursuing the Tenfold Growth Strategy that seeks to grow the economy to USD 500 billion by 2040.

The Strategy focuses on strategic investments in agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral development including oil and gas, and science, technology and innovation.

“Achieving these ambitions requires more than economic policies and financial resources. It requires peace, security, accountability, efficient institutions and effective coordination across Government,” she said.

Minister Babalanda said the Programme’s goal is a peaceful and secure Uganda that adheres to the rule of law. She explained that security, good governance, justice and accountability are not ends in themselves, but essential foundations for investment, production, wealth creation and national prosperity.

The Programme is anchored in the Constitution, Vision 2040, NDP IV and Government development priorities. Its nine strategic objectives include strengthening security agencies, improving efficiency of justice, law and order services, promoting transparency and anti-money laundering systems, strengthening citizen participation in democratic processes, enhancing implementation of the Bill of Rights, promoting Uganda’s regional and international interests, improving public policy analysis, strengthening refugee protection and migration coordination, and enhancing institutional capacity.

“Insecurity discourages investment, corruption diverts resources, and inefficient institutions delay service delivery. Conversely, a secure environment and accountable leadership enable citizens and businesses to prosper,” she said.

Minister Babalanda said the Programme brings together the Office of the President, Ministries of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Internal Affairs, Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, intelligence and security agencies and other relevant institutions.

While each institution has its own mandate, national challenges require collective action. She stressed that coordination under GSP and OWC must produce tangible solutions.

“Coordination must produce solutions, not merely meetings. It must lead to clear responsibilities, timely action, proper follow-up and measurable improvements in the lives of Ugandans,” she said.

She urged OWC officers to familiarize themselves with approved GSP planning, budgeting and implementation frameworks to identify complementarity and jointly resolve service delivery challenges.

Beyond input distribution; Minister Babalanda reminded officers that OWC was established in July 2013 as a Presidential initiative to transform Ugandans from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. She said distributing inputs alone cannot guarantee sustainable wealth creation.

“Farmers also require technical guidance, access to markets, reliable information, infrastructure and effective linkages with Government institutions. Your responsibility is to look beyond distribution and focus on viable enterprises, productivity, value addition and sustainable household incomes,” she said.

She called for fair beneficiary identification, proper accountability for public resources and ensuring interventions reach intended recipients, thereby directly contributing to NDP IV and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

The Minister challenged the senior officers to demonstrate professionalism, discipline, patriotism and responsible leadership through five key responsibilities: strengthening coordination with district and technical leaders, upholding accountability, promoting evidence-based implementation, engaging communities, and upholding integrity.

She said reporting should go beyond number of inputs distributed to results achieved in productivity, household incomes and enterprise sustainability.

“Public office is a responsibility, not a personal entitlement,” she said, reaffirming Government’s commitment under the spirit of “Kisanja No Corruption, No Sleeping,” where every officer must recognize that public resources are entrusted for the benefit of the people.

She added that institutions like NALI play a critical role in nurturing national values, ethical leadership and shared understanding of Uganda’s development aspirations.

Minister Babalanda assured officers of her commitment to work with OWC leadership and relevant institutions to strengthen coordination and improve service delivery.

She encouraged use of digital systems and reliable reporting to track interventions and support evidence-based decisions.

“Monitoring must establish not only what Government has spent, but what expenditure has achieved,” she said.

She urged officers returning to their areas of operation to ask: What can I do differently to improve service delivery? Which coordination gaps can I help resolve? And what measurable results should citizens expect?

“Governance, security and wealth creation are mutually reinforcing. Wealth creation is not merely a slogan; it is a national mission requiring integrity, coordination, innovation, resilience and people-centred leadership,” she said.

“NRM is here stay, we should serve Ugandans with purpose,” she added.

Due to other pressing official commitments, Hon. Babalanda formally closed the retreat ahead of schedule and wished the officers fruitful deliberations for the remaining sessions.

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