Yoweri Museveni Says Space Is a Shared Resource: “The Moon Is Ours Too”
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has sparked a new wave of public debate after making bold remarks about the moon, outer space, and Africa’s place in global technological competition.
Speaking during a public address, Museveni said that space does not belong only to powerful nations. He argued that Africa must rise to the challenge and participate actively in space exploration before it is left too far behind.
Museveni insisted that space is a shared resource for all humanity, including Africans. He questioned why African nations are not present in space while other global powers continue expanding their influence far beyond Earth. “Space is a common property for all of us.
The moon also belongs to us, yet we are not there. We do not even know what is going on there,” he said, emphasising his belief that Africa is missing out on critical knowledge and opportunities.
He went on to argue that countries with advanced space programmes—especially those in America, Europe, and Asia—have gained a significant strategic advantage.
According to Museveni, their presence on the moon gives them the kind of power that could make weaker nations vulnerable. He compared this imbalance to a situation where the strong could easily overpower the weak.
“Some countries in Europe like Russia, and others in Asia such as China and India, are now on the moon. They are looking at us the way someone might look at insects. They even have the power to wipe us out,” he claimed, suggesting that Africa’s lack of progress puts it at risk.
Museveni said Uganda must build the ability to travel to space, study what other nations are doing there, and defend its share of what he called “common resources.”
He repeated that the moon should not be seen as belonging only to the countries that reached it first. “We need to go to space and ask them what they are doing there. This is common property, and the moon is ours too,” he added.
Museveni’s Message to African Countries on the Space Race
Museveni also criticised the fact that no African nation has made meaningful steps into the global space race.
He warned that Africa’s absence could lead to long-term disadvantages similar to past technological gaps that left the continent excluded from major developments.
“None of the African countries have a space programme. This is dangerous. It is the old gunpowder problem happening again.
Even if African countries grow individually, they may not manage space programmes on their own,” he said.
He stressed that the best solution lies in regional unity. According to him, the only way African nations can protect their independence and compete with global powers is by reaching similar levels of technological advancement.
“You cannot guarantee sovereignty unless you reach the same technological level as other countries, either individually or collectively. This is one of the strong reasons for deeper political integration in East Africa,” he noted.
Museveni further linked the question of shared global resources to regional issues closer to home. He argued that landlocked countries like Uganda should never be denied access to resources such as oceans or international ports.
He even warned that future conflicts could arise if Kenya were to restrict access to the port of Mombasa or the Indian Ocean, insisting that such resources belong to the region as a whole and not only to coastal nations.
Overall, Museveni’s comments encouraged African leaders to rethink their position in global technological progress. He urged the continent to unite, invest in advanced science, and claim its space in future global developments—literally and figuratively.
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