Fear shouldn’t become Uganda’s costliest barrier

What the report says

The Observer has published a commentary arguing that fear of speaking openly could undermine Uganda’s economic ambitions. The article centres on a question attributed to Odrek Rwabwogo: whether a country can become prosperous when citizens are afraid to express themselves. It links that concern to Uganda’s stated ambition of building a $500 billion economy within 14 years, saying infrastructure, factories and investment alone cannot deliver transformation without trusted institutions.

The commentary presents freedom of expression as an economic issue as well as a rights concern. It argues that investors and entrepreneurs look beyond tax rates and transport networks to the predictability of regulators, enforceability of contracts, independence of courts and protection of assets under the rule of law. Human rights lawyer Sarah Bireete is cited as saying Uganda already has laws on speech, but the essential issue is ensuring the rule of law prevails.

The Observer also notes criticism of Rwabwogo’s intervention from figures including David Kabanda and Ann Mugisha, who question why such concerns are emerging from within the political establishment now. The article says those objections reflect wider frustration over delayed reform, but argues the debate should not be reduced to personalities or internal politics within the National Resistance Movement.

The piece calls for consistent application of laws, visible judicial independence, stronger parliamentary oversight, lawful conduct by security agencies and deeper internal democracy in political parties. Its central point is that criticism should be treated as a warning mechanism rather than hostility, because public confidence in the ability to speak freely is presented as essential to lasting prosperity.