KAMPALA: Vice President Jessica Alupo has urged investors to recruit more Ugandans in their companies to help reduce the country’s unemployment levels.
She made the remarks during the 13th Visionaries of Uganda Awards 2025, held under the theme “Recognising and Celebrating Visionary Leadership for Continued Sustainable and Inclusive Socio-Economic Transformation of Uganda”, in Kampala.
The awardees included, but were not limited to, Bidco Uganda, Malteser International Uganda, ISBAT University, and Aligned Health Professionals, among others.
The awards are organized by the National Planning Authority and the Visionaries of Uganda to recognize companies and individuals who have excelled in their respective sectors and contributed to Uganda’s National Development Plan and Vision 2040.
Alupo explained that when Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Chief Visionary, together with teams from the National Planning Authority and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, launched Uganda Vision 2040, the government set an ambitious target to transform Uganda from a largely subsistence economy into a vibrant, industrialized, and knowledge-driven society.
She added that it was from this background that the “Visionaries Awards” were launched by President Museveni in April 2013, becoming part of the national calendar.
Alupo expressed her gratitude to the National Planning Authority, stakeholders, and the Visionaries of Uganda team for recognizing efforts and providing a platform to showcase the achievements of Uganda’s visionaries in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, transport, education, tourism, health, water and environment, banking, ICT, science and innovation, manufacturing, and general business over the last thirteen years.
She noted that the Ugandan economy has continued to improve. In the fiscal year 2024/25, the economy grew by 6.3 percent, while inflation remained low at 3.5 percent. The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio rose to 14 percent, and the national budget for 2025/26 stands at 72.3 trillion shillings. According to Alupo, these figures reflect disciplined fiscal management and a broader revenue base that is now funding industrialization, and modernization of the health and education sectors, among others.
The Vice President reaffirmed government’s commitment to working with the private sector through public-private partnerships by providing infrastructure and investment incentives to facilitate economic growth and enhance Uganda’s competitiveness regionally and globally.
She added that government is finalizing several major projects, including the Busega–Mpigi Expressway, and emphasized that more than 1,200 kilometers of national roads are currently being upgraded to link major towns across the country.
Alupo also revealed steady progress in the Standard Gauge Railway project, developments in the oil and gas sector, the establishment of a steel factory in Tororo, and various projects in education, health, and household income generation.
“These achievements are not isolated statistics; they are building blocks of the Uganda we envision in Vision 2040 — a shared national prosperity where our natural resources are harnessed responsibly and where every citizen has the opportunity to participate in the economic sphere,” she said. “These achievements are the work of all you Visionaries working with the NRM Government, and I urge you to protect these gains.”
Regarding the awards, Alupo said they should inspire all Ugandans to work hard, impact their communities, and contribute to national transformation. “They should give us an opportunity to reflect on our national vision and take stock of the progress in transforming our country,” she added.
Alupo said President Museveni remains committed to delivering essential services to the people, noting that wealth and jobs lie in commercial agriculture, industry, services, and ICT.
She acknowledged the dedication of the awardees, emphasizing that they have set a benchmark for others. “May your example ignite a spark in every Ugandan to contribute to our shared destiny,” she said.
Minister of State for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru thanked the National Planning Authority and the Visionaries Advisory Board for organizing the awards and identifying pacesetters in society. He said government would continue providing the necessary enablers and facilitators for development across the country.
Peter Lokeris, the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, urged the distinguished Visionaries of Uganda who have impacted communities to continue their work.
