By President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on leaders from the Great Lakes Region to reject foreign interference and instead champion a Pan-African ideology rooted in unity, self-reliance, and mutual prosperity.
Speaking at the opening of the 12th Summit of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region, hosted in Kampala, Museveni warned that external actors with limited knowledge of Africa’s historical and political dynamics often worsen internal conflicts rather than solving them.
Latest
Third Suspect in Lira Land Bribery Scandal Remanded Over UGX 70M Fraud Plot
UEDCL Targets Vandalism, Vows To Lower Tariffs And Replace Faulty Meters
Police Intervene As Fistfights Rock DP Offices Days To Delegates Conference
Why Bobi Wine Trusts Joel Ssenyonyi And David Lewis Rubongoya
UPC Calls For Moral Revival Ahead Of Uganda Martyrs Day Celebrations
Bobi Wine Signs MoU To Compensate Teso War Victims Upon Ascension To Power
Faridah Nambi Seeks Legal Costs After Court Voids Kawempe North By-Election
Mpuuga’s Democratic Front Joins Uganda’s Expanding List Of Over 26 Political Parties
“When outsiders come in with partial knowledge, they often make matters worse,” he said. “True peace cannot be imposed it must be built from within through ideology, truth, and people-centered governance.”
Museveni’s remarks come at a time when the region grapples with renewed instability, particularly in eastern DRC. He used the summit to reflect on Africa’s colonial past and the failure of early African kingdoms to unite, which paved the way for foreign domination. That historical error, he said, must not be repeated today.
He urged leaders to confront internal divisions, tribalism, and neo-colonial influences that continue to plague regional cooperation. “If we want lasting peace in the Great Lakes, we must overcome tribalism, reject external manipulation, and pursue a clear ideological path grounded in African interests,” he added.
The summit brought together Heads of State and Government from across the region to assess progress on the implementation of the PSC Framework and to develop new approaches to ensure security, stability, and development.
President Museveni also stressed the importance of deepening regional economic ties through platforms such as the East African Community. “If Congo and Rwanda had remained closely aligned within the East African Community, many of these problems would have been solved,” he said. “We must build regional markets not walls.”
He pointed to the historical resilience of African resistance movements, such as the African National Congress, as proof that the continent can chart its own course.
Read Also
Mayor Uhuru Urges Kampala Residents to Renew National IDs as Mass Exercise Begins
Mpuuga Launches Democratic Front, A New Chapter In Uganda’s Opposition Politics
Mpuuga Welcomes Museveni’s Apology Buganda, Demands His Exit Like Nyerere
Uganda Launches Online Portal As Mass National ID Registration Kicks Off
Security Operatives Hunt For Nyanzi’s Twin Sons, Intimidate Relatives In Uganda
Nalukoola Fights Back, Runs To Court Of Appeal
Todwong Rallies Lamwo Leaders to Champion Economic Empowerment, Unity
NUP Vows To Appeal Nalukoola Election Nullification, Cites Judicial Bias
The summit concluded with a reaffirmation of Uganda’s commitment to regional peacebuilding, and a call to all stakeholders including governments, civil society, and international partners to act in good faith and support homegrown solutions.
“Africa has the capacity to shape its own future,” Museveni declared. “Let us believe in ourselves and work together to create a peaceful and prosperous region.”
