Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has been named among the best leaders on the planet.
According to New York University Economics Professor William Easterly and World Bank economist Steve Hennings, President Museveni is ranked 12th in terms of influencing economic growth. The rankings were published in a report titled ‘Shrinking dictators: how much economic growth can we attribute to national leaders’.
The report that was first released in May 2018, indicates that Museveni is one of the best leaders with a significant positive impact on their countries economic growth.
Easterly and Hennings ranked 24 presidents and the 74-year-old scored higher than many powerful leaders globally including the former prime minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew and Park Chung-hee, former President of South Korea between 1963 and 1979.
According to the two experts, Museveni’s significant contribution to Uganda’s economic growth is said to be a record 2.42 per cent with shrinkage of only 0.78 per cent since he came to power in 1986.
Assessing Museveni’s contribution, the report highlighted Uganda’s infrastructural development which is on its peak with 5,350km total of paved roads compared to 987km of 1986.
It further indicated that the general quality of lives and standards of living has improved tremendously together with an increase in incomes despite the increase in the population growth not forgetting the employment rate that has reduced from 11 per cent to eight per cent.
Among other factors highlighted include robust peace and security and access to electricity grid that has increased to 22 per cent from 14 per cent in 2013.
On the other hand, the report ranked Senior General Than Shwe of Burma as number one for being the most influential leader who steered his country’s economic growth at 3.95 per cent and shrinkage of just 0.71 per cent.
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