Water and Environment Minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has urged Uganda’s political leaders to embrace dialogue, tolerate disagreement and resolve political contradictions without resorting to violence.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Otafiire said political differences were inevitable in any society, arguing that the real test of political maturity was how disagreements were handled.
“Disagreement is not the problem, but how to resolve the contradiction is the problem,” Otafiire said.
He said a civilized society should be defined by its ability to resolve conflicts peacefully, warning against treating violence as the preferred method of settling political disputes.
“The hallmark of civilization is how people resolve contradiction without violence,” he said, adding that even military commanders should seek peaceful solutions before considering armed confrontation.
Otafiire, a retired army general who was appointed Minister of Water and Environment in June 2026, said effective management of society depended heavily on information and early intervention. Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment confirms his appointment and current portfolio.
‘The greatest generals resolve problems without shooting’
Drawing on his military experience, Otafiire said information and intelligence should be used to identify potential conflicts before they escalate.
“When you see what your adversary tends to do, you quickly prevent that initiative, or you change your ways of operation to remove the causes early, so that you don’t go to confrontation,” he said.
He added that diplomacy should be exhausted before war is considered.
“It’s only when diplomacy has been exhausted and failed that you go to war,” Otafiire said.
His remarks come at a politically sensitive period in Uganda, with the country heading into the 2026 general elections and disagreements between political actors remaining a major feature of public debate.
‘NRM, you are winners’
Turning directly to members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Otafiire called on those in power to exercise restraint and respect opposing voices.
“NRM, you are winners,” he said.
But he immediately cautioned that victory should come with responsibility, arguing that those who win should be “magnanimous in victory,” while those who lose should respect the outcome but retain their right to be heard.
Otafiire’s comments were also reported by The Independent, which published the remarks in full on October 1.
‘The opposition is our mirror’
In one of the strongest parts of his address, Otafiire described the opposition as a reflection of the ruling side, urging NRM legislators not to dismiss criticism from political opponents.
“You never see how beautiful your face is or how ugly your face is until you look into the mirror,” he said.
“Colleagues in the NRM side, this opposition is our mirror reflection.”
The minister’s message was therefore framed less as a rejection of political competition than as an appeal for opposing sides to recognise their shared responsibility to Uganda.
“Whatever the shade of our political persuasion, we have one country, and we must serve that country,” Otafiire told MPs.
Otafiire’s remarks were delivered in Parliament as he urged political actors to treat disagreement as a normal part of public life while avoiding confrontation and violence. His comments have also attracted attention because of his previous public disagreements with other figures within Uganda’s political and security establishment. Those interpretations, however, should not be treated as an assertion about whom he was specifically addressing unless he identifies them himself
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Otafiire said political differences were inevitable in any society, arguing that the real test of political maturity was how disagreements were handled.
“Disagreement is not the problem, but how to resolve the contradiction is the problem,” Otafiire said.
He said a civilized society should be defined by its ability to resolve conflicts peacefully, warning against treating violence as the preferred method of settling political disputes.
“The hallmark of civilization is how people resolve contradiction without violence,” he said, adding that even military commanders should seek peaceful solutions before considering armed confrontation.
Otafiire, a retired army general who was appointed Minister of Water and Environment in June 2026, said effective management of society depended heavily on information and early intervention. Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment confirms his appointment and current portfolio.
‘The greatest generals resolve problems without shooting’
Drawing on his military experience, Otafiire said information and intelligence should be used to identify potential conflicts before they escalate.
“When you see what your adversary tends to do, you quickly prevent that initiative, or you change your ways of operation to remove the causes early, so that you don’t go to confrontation,” he said.
He added that diplomacy should be exhausted before war is considered.
“It’s only when diplomacy has been exhausted and failed that you go to war,” Otafiire said.
His remarks come at a politically sensitive period in Uganda, with the country heading into the 2026 general elections and disagreements between political actors remaining a major feature of public debate.
‘NRM, you are winners’
Turning directly to members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Otafiire called on those in power to exercise restraint and respect opposing voices.
“NRM, you are winners,” he said.
But he immediately cautioned that victory should come with responsibility, arguing that those who win should be “magnanimous in victory,” while those who lose should respect the outcome but retain their right to be heard.
Otafiire’s comments were also reported by The Independent, which published the remarks in full on October 1.
‘The opposition is our mirror’
In one of the strongest parts of his address, Otafiire described the opposition as a reflection of the ruling side, urging NRM legislators not to dismiss criticism from political opponents.
“You never see how beautiful your face is or how ugly your face is until you look into the mirror,” he said.
“Colleagues in the NRM side, this opposition is our mirror reflection.”
The minister’s message was therefore framed less as a rejection of political competition than as an appeal for opposing sides to recognise their shared responsibility to Uganda.
“Whatever the shade of our political persuasion, we have one country, and we must serve that country,” Otafiire told MPs.
Otafiire’s remarks were delivered in Parliament as he urged political actors to treat disagreement as a normal part of public life while avoiding confrontation and violence. His comments have also attracted attention because of his previous public disagreements with other figures within Uganda’s political and security establishment. Those interpretations, however, should not be treated as an assertion about whom he was specifically addressing unless he identifies them himself.
