Lira, Uganda | Robert Okodia, a prominent Northern Uganda businessman and former journalist, has formally declared his candidacy for Vice Chairperson of the NRM Entrepreneurs League for the Northern region, pledging to champion policy reforms, capacity building, and structural empowerment for entrepreneurs across Uganda.
Addressing members of the press at Vintage Lounge on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, Okodia outlined an ambitious agenda focused on empowering entrepreneurs, advocating for policy reform, and aligning the party’s economic agenda with grassroots business realities.
Okodia argued that entrepreneurs form the backbone of Uganda’s economy, stating that they create jobs, pay taxes, and support livelihoods at a scale beyond that of government employment initiatives.
He emphasized that despite their contribution, entrepreneurs remain underrepresented in both policymaking and party structures and that this imbalance needs urgent correction.
He presented what he described as a 94-point agenda aimed at revitalizing Uganda’s entrepreneurial sector.
Key elements of this plan included empowering startup businesses with financial literacy and investment readiness training, connecting entrepreneurs to national opportunities under the Uganda Investment Authority and Enterprise Uganda, and lobbying for tax reforms that favour small businesses.
He also said that he intends to advocate for easier access to credit tailored to real business cycles, promote digital innovation, and advance value addition in agriculture and manufacturing.
Okodia further pledged to push for the formalization of the Entrepreneurs League structure at all levels, from village to national, similar to existing NRM structures for youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
He noted that while these groups enjoy formal representation, entrepreneurs have yet to be fully integrated into the party’s institutional framework, something he plans to correct.
Okodia stated that one of his key advocacy points would be the reform of Uganda’s business registration and tax compliance systems, which he described as unfriendly to new businesses.
He explained that under the current arrangement, entrepreneurs are required to register, acquire tax identification numbers, and begin paying taxes immediately, even before they begin earning. something he said acts as a deterrent to formalization.
He committed to advocating for tax holidays and friendly startup policies that enable businesses to grow before being taxed.
Okodia also reiterated his loyalty to the National Resistance Movement and said he is fully aligned with President Yoweri Museveni’s socio-economic transformation agenda.
He credited the NRM government with bringing peace, developing infrastructure, and improving health services in Northern Uganda, and noted that these achievements now provided a foundation upon which businesspeople could build and thrive.
He added that entrepreneurs must now take the lead in advancing investments, creating employment, and supporting government-led transformation.
Okodia reminded stakeholders that although he is contesting for a regional position, the voting process involves delegates from across Uganda.
He clarified that the Entrepreneurs League serves national interests and that his mandate, if granted, would extend beyond Northern Uganda.
He pointed to his own business experience, including a company that employs over 50 people full-time, as an example of the practical knowledge and leadership he would bring to the role.
In his closing remarks, Okodia urged fellow entrepreneurs, delegates, and youth to support his candidacy, saying that Uganda could no longer afford to overlook the voices and contributions of its business community.
He described his campaign not just as a political ambition but as a mission to drive economic transformation through enterprise development.
