President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged student leaders to approach politics as a problem-solving exercise, likening governance to medical practice where diagnosis and analysis are essential before treatment.
The President made the remarks while meeting members of the Guild Leaders Network at State Lodge, Nakasero, where he challenged young leaders to deeply understand the issues affecting their communities rather than engaging in what he described as superficial or emotional politics.
“Society is like medicine because a doctor looks at a patient and says, what is this patient suffering from?” Museveni said. “That means you do a diagnosis, you do analysis; is it malaria or what? That’s what politics should be.”
He emphasized that leadership requires a clear understanding of societal problems, arguing that effective political engagement must be grounded in careful analysis, evidence, and practical solutions.
Museveni told the guild leaders that young people have a responsibility to study the economic, social and political conditions of their society and identify the root causes of challenges such as unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment.
“Even you people should understand what are the problems of your society,” he added, calling on student leaders to move beyond slogans and focus on ideas that can drive transformation.
The meeting brought together guild presidents and student representatives from various institutions of higher learning across the country. Discussions focused on youth leadership, national development and the role of students in shaping Uganda’s political future.
The President’s remarks come amid heightened debate over youth participation in politics, particularly following recent engagements between student leaders and government officials. Museveni maintained that young leaders can play a constructive role if they ground their activism in informed analysis and a commitment to national interests.
He encouraged the guild leaders to use their positions to mobilise fellow students around solutions-oriented dialogue, stressing that sustainable change comes from understanding problems first before prescribing remedies.
