President Yoweri Museveni told chief executives that Uganda needs to take a multifaceted approach inorder to leapfrog economic growth.
"We want to build an economy which is integrated vertically, horizontal and self-sustaining by ensuring we put manufacturing at the pivot using our wealth in natural resources and raw materials such that we can achieve a qualitative leap," President Museveni tweeted on Thursday after officiating the closure of the 4th Bi-Annual CEO retreat at the Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant in Mutai, Jinja District.
Museveni commended the theme of the event which entailed Uganda's Industrialization Agenda and Positioning as a net source of E-Mobility Solutions in Africa.
The president reminded the executives that God will punish those that are misusing Uganda's resources.
"God will punish us for not using our resources well, we have forests for instance, but we are here buying furniture from the Arabs who stay in the desert. How can we sit on imported furniture here?" he said.
"Secondly, the Transport Economy is worth USD 17trillion but we are getting none of it! We can not make a plane, a computer, or medicine, we can’t even make furniture, what sort of people are we? Then we say we are experts, experts of what? Ignorance?"
President Museveni noted that countries like South Korea, Japan, etc do not have the resources that Uganda has, but they are far more prosperous. "I appeal to everybody concerned to wake up."
He commended the organizers of putting together the forum becuase "it’s a very good engagement because I get free consultancy from business people."
"I will ensure to attend always," he said.
