"I am not Poor, Stop Associating Me With Poverty" Museveni Words Leaves Ugandans Outraged

President Yoweri Museveni has ignited a storm of public outrage after telling Ugandans not to associate him with poverty, insisting he is not poor and that the burden of poverty lies with individuals.

Speaking on July 5 in Kampala after being nominated to carry the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag in the upcoming elections, Museveni dismissed claims linking his long rule to the country’s economic struggles.

“Poverty is yours. Don’t associate me with your poverty… I am not poor,” he said in Luganda to cheering supporters at the party’s electoral commission offices.

He emphasized that every household must build personal wealth, arguing that infrastructure alone cannot lift families out of poverty.

“Roads are for all of us, but wealth is for the family,” he said. “You can have roads and electricity, but if your home has no wealth, the country will not move.”

Museveni, who also secured the NRM’s nomination for party chairperson, pledged to prioritize wealth creation if re-elected.

He criticized those who, despite national development, remain poor, citing a need for mindset change.

The remarks triggered widespread backlash online, with many Ugandans accusing Museveni who has been in power since 1986 of deflecting blame after decades of failed poverty eradication programs.

Critics argue that Museveni’s leadership has deepened inequality and corruption. His comments were perceived as tone-deaf in a country where millions still live below the poverty line.

Museveni remains defiant, setting his sights on extending his rule beyond 40 years