“We Need an East African Federation with a Joint Military”- Museveni

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has renewed his call for deeper East African integration, arguing that political unity and a common defence framework are essential if African nations are to confront future security threats and remain competitive in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Speaking to senior military officers at the Senior Staff College in Kimaka, Jinja, on Tuesday, Museveni said individual African countries lack the capacity to address emerging security challenges on their own and must pursue political federation as a long-term solution.

The President’s remarks come just months after he assumed the chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) during the 25th Heads of State Summit held in Arusha, Tanzania, in March.

“That is why the answer is political integration,” Museveni told the officers. “We have been talking about East African integration, but if Presidents want to remain big fish in small ponds, then that issue will not be addressed.”

Museveni delivered the lecture to 52 senior military officers undergoing training at the college, including participants from Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, and Tanzania.

He framed regional integration as a matter of security rather than simply economics or diplomacy, warning that future conflicts and strategic competition will increasingly involve advanced technologies, maritime operations, and even space capabilities.

According to the President, many African countries remain constrained by borders inherited from the colonial era, limiting their ability to develop the scale needed for modern defence systems.

“We must be able to operate on land, air, navy and in space, but can Uganda have a space programme? Or can we go to the ocean? No, we are cut off by the irrational colonial borders,” he said.

Museveni also challenged the officers to embrace what he described as a historical responsibility to advance African unity and economic transformation.

“The first historical mission is to ensure the prosperity of our people,” he said. “One of the factors that can help us prosper is the economic integration of the African market. If we do not integrate, we shall be in problems.”

The address in Jinja is the latest in a series of engagements through which Museveni has sought to advance regional integration since taking over leadership of the EAC.

Earlier this month, he met East African Community Secretary-General Stephen Patrick Mbundi at State Lodge Nakasero to discuss regional priorities, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, healthcare cooperation, financing mechanisms, and the long-awaited East African Monetary Union.

During the meeting, Mbundi urged member states to accelerate efforts toward establishing a common currency, noting that exchange rate fluctuations continue to affect businesses and households across the region.

“Our citizens are really suffering because of fluctuations in currency. It is a big hindrance to business,” Mbundi said.

The Secretary-General proposed that countries that are ready should move forward rather than waiting for all member states to meet the required benchmarks simultaneously.

Museveni also reiterated his support for an integrated transport network across East Africa, arguing that railways should handle bulk cargo and petroleum products while roads are reserved primarily for passengers and lighter goods.

“The transport committee should meet and concretize this. I totally support it,” he said.

Museveni assumed the EAC chairmanship from Kenyan President William Ruto during the Arusha summit on March 7, 2026.

At the summit, he warned that East African countries risk continued economic and political marginalisation if they fail to fully embrace integration.

“Some actors seem to treat this integration as optional. In my view, I have always held that it is mandatory to unite or risk perpetual marginalisation,” he said.

The Ugandan leader later addressed the East African Legislative Assembly, where he stressed that regional security should be treated as a central pillar of integration efforts.

“Africans need to solve their own problems. In this world, you cannot survive if you are weak. Why can’t we make Africa strong?” he asked.

Museveni has also promoted closer security partnerships beyond the EAC framework.

In May, he hosted Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi at State House Entebbe, where the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in security, trade, border management, and regional connectivity.

The meeting followed the ninth session of the Uganda-DRC Joint Permanent Commission held in Kampala, which brought together senior government officials, diplomats, and security leaders from both countries.

Among the key outcomes was a commitment by Kinshasa to grant Ugandan citizens visa-free access by August 31, 2026. The move follows Uganda’s decision in January 2024 to waive visa requirements for Congolese nationals after the DRC joined the East African Community.

While Museveni remains one of the region’s strongest advocates for political federation, analysts note that achieving such a vision will require overcoming longstanding political and institutional challenges.

Questions surrounding trust among member states, differing national interests, and the practical requirements of establishing common defence structures continue to complicate discussions about deeper integration.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga acknowledged the expectations placed on Uganda’s leadership during a recent meeting on regional affairs.

“We have a very heavy burden because you are the chair of the summit on this continent,” Kadaga said. “You are well known as the champion of integration, so we have a bigger burden to deliver for the community.”

She expressed hope that significant progress could be made on some of the bloc’s key objectives during Museveni’s tenure.

As EAC Chair until 2027, Museveni now has an opportunity to translate decades of advocacy into concrete policy initiatives.

The bloc’s newly launched Seventh EAC Development Strategy for 2026/27 to 2030/31 provides a framework for advancing economic, political, and institutional integration across the region.

Whether member states will ultimately embrace the kind of political federation and joint military command envisioned by Museveni remains uncertain. However, his message to the officers in Jinja was clear: Africa’s future security and prosperity will depend on the willingness of its nations to work together as one.

For Museveni, regional integration is no longer just an ideal. It is a strategic necessity that he believes will determine whether East Africa can effectively confront the challenges of the decades ahead.