The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has commended Rwanda for what it described as exemplary discipline, cleanliness, patriotism and national focus, saying Uganda and the wider East African region could draw important lessons from Kigali's development model.
The remarks were made by NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong during a high-level meeting at the NRM headquarters on Plot 10 Kyaddondo Road in Kampala with a delegation from Rwanda's ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
Todwong said Rwanda had demonstrated a strong culture of discipline and commitment to national development, attributes he said were visible to anyone visiting the country.
"We appreciate and thank the RPF so much for the remarkable discipline that we see in Rwanda. Every single time you go there, you truly admire a country that clearly understands where it is going and understands its history," he said.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Todwong added that Rwanda's citizens appeared united behind a common national vision and expressed hope that Ugandans could embrace similar values.
"I deeply wish that we in Uganda could attain that level of disciplined citizenship," he said.
"The discipline we require is the kind that enables each of us to work hard, driven by the hope and assurance that the country has a clear vision and is moving in the right direction."
Todwong emphasized the longstanding historical and ideological ties between the NRM and the RPF, describing the relationship as one rooted in liberation struggles, Pan-Africanism and regional solidarity.
"The NRM and RPF are more than brothers; we are deeply involved in each other's livelihoods. Everything we stand for aligns directly with what the RPF stands for," he said.
He said the two parties should continue deepening cooperation as citizens of both countries increasingly live, work and invest across borders.
Todwong also warned against what he termed external ideological pressures facing revolutionary movements and governing parties across Africa.
"The threats we face as the NRM are not different from the threats faced by the RPF. These are externally generated threats by neoliberal forces coming to distort our history," he said.
According to Todwong, African nations must remain vigilant in defending sovereignty, national identity and self-determination.
"Africa is not someone's backyard garden. It is an independent continent composed of autonomous democratic states elected by their own people," he said.
Todwong further revealed that Uganda had recently enacted a Sovereignty Bill aimed at reinforcing the country's independence and right to govern its affairs free from external interference.
Todwong called for renewed political engagement within the East African Community (EAC), stressing the need for stronger collaboration among political actors to accelerate regional integration.
He argued that deeper cooperation among East African states would strengthen economic growth, political stability and continental unity.
The meeting was attended by senior RPF official Protais Musoni, who conveyed greetings and congratulations from the RPF leadership to the NRM.
Musoni highlighted the importance of continuous transformation and renewal within political parties, saying long-term success depended on strategic preparation and adaptation.
"The day you win is the day you start preparing for the next elections," he said.
He noted that the RPF was currently undertaking internal reforms aimed at preparing the party for future generations of leadership.
Musoni said the RPF and the NRM shared similar strategic visions despite operating in different national contexts.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Strategically, RPF and NRM have the same vision and the same strategies," he said.
Musoni also stressed the importance of sovereignty, self-reliance and African integration, arguing that African countries must strengthen domestic capacity in critical sectors such as food production, healthcare, energy and defense.
Musoni urged political parties across the continent to take a leading role in advancing the African Union's Agenda 2063 and promoting greater continental unity.
"With President Yoweri Museveni as a champion of the East African Community and Pan-Africanism, Uganda stands a good chance of leading efforts toward the integration of African economies and peoples," he said.
The meeting underscored the growing political cooperation between Uganda and Rwanda's ruling parties amid broader calls for regional integration, sovereignty and Pan-African solidarity across East Africa.
