President Museveni has called for a shift from historical disputes to a strategic, development-focused approach in addressing challenges facing the Nile Basin, stressing that Africa’s future depends on electrification, industrialisation and regional integration.
Museveni made the remarks while delivering a lecture to a delegation from the Egyptian Armed Forces Staff and Command College at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi. The delegation was led by Egypt’s Ambassador to Uganda, Monzer Selim, and Maj. Gen. Khaled Elnahraway.
The President criticised longstanding debates around colonial-era agreements governing the Nile, arguing that they distract from the real issues affecting the river’s sustainability.
“I have been discussing this with Egyptian leaders for a long time. They always talk about the old agreements with the British, but I tell them that the problem of the Nile is not those agreements,” Museveni said.
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He instead pointed to underdevelopment in tropical countries as the root cause of the Nile’s challenges, particularly the lack of electricity.
“The problem of the Nile, number one, is the lack of electricity in the tropics. When people don’t have electricity, they depend on biomass, and that is the real danger,” he said.
Museveni explained that reliance on biomass such as firewood and charcoal is accelerating environmental degradation and threatening water systems.
“When you have a big population that is not industrialised, people encroach on forests and wetlands for agriculture. That is why the answer is industrialisation, so that people do not depend on agriculture alone,” he added.
He also cited climate change, driven largely by emissions from industrialised countries, as a contributing factor to changing rainfall patterns and declining water levels.
The President revealed that water flow from Uganda to South Sudan has dropped significantly over the decades.
“In the 1960s, the water flow was about 60 billion cubic metres, but now it has reduced to about 40 billion cubic metres,” he said.
Museveni called for a comprehensive master plan for the Nile Basin centred on electrification and industrial growth.
“I always tell them, let us have a master plan for transforming the Nile Valley through electrification and industrialisation,” he said.
He contrasted the Nile’s capacity with that of the Congo River to highlight Africa’s untapped potential.
“The Nile has about 85 billion cubic metres of water at Khartoum, but the Congo River has about 3,000 billion cubic metres. The Congo can provide the equivalent of about 30 Niles if there is peace and cooperation,” he noted.
Museveni outlined what he described as Africa’s three historical missions: prosperity, strategic security and brotherhood.
“Prosperity does not come from begging. If aid created prosperity, Latin America would be very rich, but they are still struggling. Prosperity comes from producing goods and services with calculation, selling them, and accessing markets,” he said.
He emphasised the need for both patriotism and Pan-Africanism in achieving sustainable growth.
“You need patriotism because you need Uganda for your own prosperity. But when you produce more, Uganda alone is not enough, that is why we talk about Pan-Africanism,” he added.
On security, Museveni argued that African countries must integrate to compete globally.
“Some global actors are talking about superiority on land, at sea, in the air, and in space. For us, even if Uganda becomes a first-class country, it is too small. Integration gives us size and strength,” he said.
The President stressed that socio-economic transformation in tropical countries is essential for environmental protection, including safeguarding the Nile Basin.
“The tropics must move from primitive agriculture to industry and services. Only a few people should remain in agriculture, and they should be skilled,” he said.
He warned that continued dependence on biomass poses a serious risk.
“We must protect the Nile from two dangers — primitive agriculture and lack of electricity. If we continue destroying biomass, the impact will be severe,” he cautioned.
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Museveni also highlighted the importance of natural water towers such as the Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon in sustaining rainfall systems.
“The problem is not water in Africa; it is ideological. Africa’s solutions are known, but people are not focusing on the right issues,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Maj. Gen. Khaled Elnahraway commended Uganda for its hospitality and the insights shared during the visit.
“We are honoured to meet Your Excellency and to visit one of the leading training institutions in Uganda. What we have seen is far beyond what we knew from the media,” he said.
He noted that the delegation visited Jinja and witnessed the source of the Nile, describing it as a vital resource for both Uganda and Egypt.
“We look forward to strengthening cooperation and building stronger ties with Uganda and the African continent,” he added.
