The Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, has urged Ugandans returning from South Africa to embrace a positive mindset, saying such a transformation can be achieved through the ideological training offered at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi. He said this was the reason they were taken there immediately after returning home.
Addressing the returnees, Todwong described Kyankwanzi as a centre that shapes responsible citizens by instilling patriotism, discipline, love for the country, respect for others, and a spirit of national unity.
He reassured the returnees that despite the hardships they had experienced abroad, their return to Uganda presented an opportunity for a better future. He noted that the Uganda many of them left years ago is vastly different from the one they have returned to, having undergone significant transformation over the past four decades.
Todwong encouraged the participants to shift their focus from seeking opportunities abroad to investing in their homeland, saying Uganda now offers a conducive environment for business and economic growth.
“I am surprised that some South African leaders have remained silent while fellow Africans are being subjected to such treatment. Uganda has always embraced Africans. We have hosted South African banks, and our doctors have served in hospitals across Africa for the good of the continent,” Todwong said.
He added that Uganda, once considered a failed state, has been rebuilt under the NRM government over the last 40 years and is now politically, economically, financially, and socially stable.
Todwong appealed to the returnees not to consider going back to South Africa but instead to settle permanently in Uganda and contribute to the country’s development through investment and entrepreneurship.
“I know many of you have been away from home for a long time, and by now, you have seen how much Uganda has changed. I appeal to you not to return to South Africa. Stay home, invest here, and be part of Uganda’s transformation,” he said.
He also invited those who are not affiliated with any political party to join the NRM, emphasising that government development programmes are available to all Ugandans, regardless of their political affiliation.
“Even if you do not support the NRM, you will still benefit from government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and many other initiatives, provided you actively participate,” Todwong said.
