By Innocent B Natukunda
Uganda’s history reveals a time when the country had a clear line of focus, institutions were functional, and achievements were visible in every region. Both the colonial era and the early post-colonial governments laid strong foundations, but today, after nearly four decades of Museveni’s rule, many of these gains have been Rutekanga destroyed, neglected, or deliberately dismantled.
Education
During colonial and immediate post-colonial times, Uganda was a regional center of academic excellence:
Makerere University (Kampala) was the “Harvard of Africa,” attracting students from Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and beyond.
Ntare School (Mbarara), Nyakasura school,St Leo’s college Kyegobe,Busoga College Mwiri (Jinja), Gayaza High School (Wakiso), and Kings College Budo (Wakiso) produced disciplined leaders and professionals.
St. Joseph’s Technical Institute, Virika (Fort Portal) and Bukalasa Agricultural College (Luweero) trained skilled manpower in technical and agricultural fields.
Today, Uganda’s schools and universities are overcrowded, underfunded, and commercialized—no longer producing the high-caliber graduates they once did.
Health Sector
Uganda once had one of the best health care systems in Africa, with strong referral hospitals in every region:
National Level:
Mulago National Referral Hospital (Kampala) was among the finest on the continent, handling complex surgeries and attracting patients from across East and Central Africa.
Regional Level:
Mbarara Hospital (Western Uganda), Mbale Hospital (Eastern Uganda), Arua Hospital (Northern Uganda) were strong regional referral centers.
In Tooro: Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital (Buhinga) served the wider Rwenzori subregion, while Virika Hospital (a Catholic mission hospital) provided specialized services, including maternal health.
In Bunyoro: Hoima Regional Referral Hospital stood as the main government hospital for Bunyoro, while Kagadi Hospital and Masindi Hospital catered to rural communities. Missionary-founded facilities like Nyakasura Hospital (Kabarole) also contributed significantly.
Missionary Hospitals:
St. Mary’s Lacor Hospital (Gulu), Nyenga Hospital (Buikwe), and Virika Hospital (Fort Portal) provided reliable and affordable services.
Today, these hospitals are shadows of their former selves, suffering from chronic drug shortages, dilapidated infrastructure, and demoralized staff. Ugandans die of treatable diseases while leaders fly abroad for care.
Industrialization & Factories
The colonial and early independence years saw Uganda investing in real industrialization:
Jinja was the industrial hub of East Africa, home to Nyanza Textile Industries (NYTIL), Uganda Spinning Mill, and Tannery Industries.
Kilembe Mines (Kasese) extracted and exported copper, bringing in foreign exchange.
Uganda Railways (with workshops in Jinja) provided employment and transport for exports.
Coffee Marketing Board and Lint Marketing Board guaranteed stable markets for farmers.
Under Museveni, most industries were privatized, sold off cheaply, or left to collapse. Jinja, once called the “Manchester of East Africa,” is now a ghost of its past glory.
Transport & Infrastructure
Uganda had working systems that connected the regions and boosted trade:
Uganda Railways (linking Kampala–Mombasa, Kampala–Kasese, Kampala–Pakwach) moved goods and people efficiently.
Uganda Airlines (established 1976) connected Uganda to London, Rome, Nairobi, and Dubai.
Rural feeder roads were maintained through cooperative unions to ensure farmers accessed markets.
Today, Uganda Railways is almost dead, Uganda Airlines has collapsed and been reborn under corruption scandals, and rural areas remain inaccessible.
Out of 159366 Kms only 3.9% is tarmac
Agriculture & Cooperatives
The cooperative movement was one of Uganda’s greatest achievements:
Ankole Cooperative Union (Mbarara), West Acholi Cooperative Union (Gulu), Bugisu Cooperative Union (Mbale), and Masaka Cooperative Union empowered farmers, built warehouses, and exported coffee and cotton.
In Bunyoro, farmers were supported through cooperative societies that marketed cotton and coffee. In Tooro, cooperative unions connected peasant farmers to markets, ensuring they benefited from their produce.
Under Museveni, these unions collapsed—farmers are now at the mercy of middlemen and exploitative cartels.
Conclusion
Uganda once had functioning schools, referral hospitals, strong industries, airlines, railways, and cooperative unions that gave hope to every region—from Tooro to Bunyoro, from Bugisu to Acholi. These institutions were the backbone of national development and symbols of pride. Today, most of them are broken, privatized, or completely destroyed, leaving Uganda weaker than it was at independence.
We are now a country where the past shines brighter than the present, and the future remains uncertain. Without reclaiming the vision, discipline, and patriotism of earlier years, Uganda will remain trapped in a cycle of wasted potential.
About the author of the above article;
Hon.Innocent B Natukunda also known as Rutekanga is a team leader for NUP Tooro subregion and the flag bearer Mwenge North 2026-2031
