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23 May 2025
2026 POLLS: COL. NAKALEMA ASSURES TOURISTS ON SECURITY

As the clock ticks towards the fast-approaching 2026 general elections, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema has allayed tourists' fears of any possible insecurity, saying the democratic affair shall be conducted peacefully. Despite other countries where tourism tends to come to a standstill due to election orchestrated violence, Col. Nakalema says the case will be different for Uganda, therefore encouraging more tourists to continue planning to visit the country. “In Uganda, we prioritise the protection of investors who include the tourists because they play a big role in supporting our economy. I can assure you all that the country is peaceful, and we are working to maintain the status even during the forthcoming elections,” she said. Col. Nakalema made the remarks on Thursday 22nd May 2025 during the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo 2025 held at Speke Resort, Munyonyo. She also revealed that Uganda is one of the best tourist destinations in the world. “We are walking the talk, and I'm proud the international bodies are noticing. We have been declared the best tourist destination countless times,” she said. Col. Nakalema said the State House Investors Protection Unit is working with NITA-Uganda to leverage technology to ensure protection of tourists. She said there are efforts by the government to create a thriving investment climate, a move she says the government is succeeding. “Tourism is a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy, and the government prioritizes the safety of visitors, especially during elections. National parks are closely monitored with robust security measures, and law enforcement works tirelessly to maintain the safety and well-being of travelers in safari zones,” she acknowledged. The reassurance comes at the time when political parties are gearing up preparations towards a democratic affair with the ruling party-NRM already setting pace for internal electoral processes. She pointed out that Uganda is renowned for its dedicated tourism police force, which ensures the safety of travelers across the country. “Tour operators are well-informed about the election season and will make any necessary adjustments to your itinerary to avoid areas affected by political activity, ensuring minimal disruption to your journey,” she said. Ms. Doreen Katusiime, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities rallied investors to choose Uganda, noting that the country is peaceful and with adequate physical features. According to Mr. Amos Wekesa, a member of the Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda, famously dubbed the Pearl of Africa, possesses all the elements required to dominate the global tourism sector. "From its unique mountain gorillas to the world’s most powerful waterfalls, the country is a treasure store of natural and cultural wonders. However, despite a steady post-COVID recovery and notable achievements, Uganda lags behind regional competitors like Kenya and Tanzania in realizing its tourism potential." Mr. Wekesa pointed out that to top the world's tourism rankings, Uganda must address systemic challenges while strategically leveraging its unique offerings. He says the sector has demonstrated resilience, with revenue rising from Shs110bn in 2017/18 to Shs156.5bn in 2023/24. Employment has surged to 610,806, and visitor numbers to national parks and the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) are on the rise. However, foreign exchange earnings of $1.025 billion in FY 2023/24 remain significantly below the $1.6 billion recorded pre-pandemic in 2019/20. “While infrastructure upgrades like improved tourism roads and the near-complete Entebbe Airport expansion have spurred growth, critical gaps in funding, inadequate marketing, and climate-related challenges continue to hold Uganda back,” Mr. Wekesa said. Mr. Herbert Byaruhanga, a seasoned tourism consultant, asserted that Uganda must rethink its strategy to achieve global leadership. “We need to learn from the tourism sectors of other economies, leverage our unique attractions, and position ours as a premier destination. Only then can we attract the numbers and investment required to grow the sector,” he said. He noted that the government needs to prioritize tourism in its budget, ensuring critical projects receive adequate funding. According to the available data, tourism significantly contributes to Uganda's economy. In 2023, it directly contributed 3.64% to GDP, employing 1.6 million people or 14.7% of the total workforce. The sector also generated significant revenue, with inbound visitors spending over Shs4.58 trillion on tourism services and domestic tourists spending approximately Shs2.97 trillion.

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22 May 2025
“THERE ARE MORE JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAN IN GOVERNMENT,” SAYS PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AS HE CONCLUDES PDM TOUR IN GREATER LUWERO

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon Ugandans to take the Parish Development Model (PDM) seriously because of its huge potential to get them out of poverty and generate more employment opportunities than the government can provide. According to the President, wealth creation at the grassroots level, particularly through commercial agriculture and small-scale enterprises, is the key to sustainable job creation in Uganda. “People waste a lot of time looking for government jobs. And the leaders also don’t explain very well that in a developing country, there are more jobs in the private sector than in the government because the government jobs are few. The government jobs (civil servants, police, the army, teachers, and health workers) are 480,000. The population of Uganda is 46 million. So, how can they be satisfied? The people who are doing the PDM era are already employing people,” President Museveni said. He made the remarks on Thursday, 22nd May, 2025, while addressing a rally at Wabinyonyi playground, Nakasongola Town Council, Nakasongola district, as he concluded his three-day performance assessment tour on the Parish Development Model and other wealth creation activities in Greater Luwero. President Museveni gave an example of the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, who is employing 26 people on his 4-acre model farm, and one Nyakana Richard of Rwengaaju in Kabarole, who is employing 15 people, using 1.2 acres of land. “Uganda has 40 million acres of arable land. I was calculating that if we used only seven million acres like Nyakana has done, and each acre created 15 jobs, we would have 105 million jobs, more than all the people of Uganda. We would have so many jobs to the extent of importing workers,” the President noted. President Museveni added that the factories are already employing 1.2 million people, three times more than in the government. “You, the parents, need to advise your children that the government jobs are limited. You prepare yourself to work in commercial farms, factories, and service sectors or become a job creator in the commercial agricultural sector,” he stressed. The President hinged his address on six pillars, namely, peace, security, development, wealth, health, and education, as key to achieving socio-economic transformation, while emphasizing that they should be handled carefully through prioritization in the spirit of patriotism. “You people should continue supporting the NRM, which believes in unity for all Ugandans, and that’s one of the pillars of peace,” he said. President Museveni emphasized that whereas development (enkulakulana) reflected in social services such as roads, health centers, schools, and electricity is crucial, wealth creation and fighting household poverty should be everybody’s concern. “This road to Gulu was tarmacked soon after independence and has been tarmacked since that time for 60 years, but up to now, there are poor people residing around it. So, NRM does not want you to only talk about development but also household incomes,” he said, adding that it’s the reason the NRM, since 1995 has been supporting the wealth creation drive through initiatives such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, and now PDM. The President pointed out a few people who have listened and are doing well, such as Joseph Ijara of Serere, who uses two and a half acres to do poultry and livestock, earning him more than Shs 1 billion a year through selling eggs and milk, with profits amounting to over Shs800 million per year. Others are Hajjat Mariam Baiga in Ssekamuli, Bamunaanika in Luwero, Nalubowa Aida of Nakaseke, and a 64-year-old Tumusiime Deziranta who just started with Shs 1 million from PDM and is doing well. According to President Museveni, if the PDM is taken seriously, the parish SACCOs will reach an extent of owning banks worth Shs 1.6 billion in 10 years, and this will save them the burden of running to money lenders who charge them exorbitant profits. After two years, a PDM beneficiary who received Shs 1 million is expected to return it with an interest of Shs 120,000 only. “So please, don’t neglect this. I heard people blaming the Sacco leaders for prioritizing family members and friends. This is because you don’t go there. A parish Sacco is for everybody above 18 years in that parish, and when you meet, that’s how you elect your Sacco leaders. Be active and get involved,” President Museveni stressed. President Museveni also promised to set up a special fund for the fishermen after leaders appreciated him for protecting the lakes through the fisheries protection unit, which has streamlined fishing activities. The NRM Vice National Chairperson for central region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi appreciated President Museveni for visiting greater Luwero. “We know the President has not been able to reach everybody, but his tour is a gesture of appreciation for what we are doing as the Greater Luwero in terms of wealth creation,” Hon. Kiwanda said. The Member of Parliament for Nakasongola County, Hon. Mutebi Noah Wanzala, and the area woman MP Zawedde Victorious called for a special land fund to compensate absentee landlords who are evicting tenants. The ceremony was also attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, NRM leaders, among others.

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21 May 2025
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI DIRECTS MSC TO OFFER 8 PERCENT ANNUAL INTEREST LOANS TO MARKET VENDORS

Vendors from Kalerwe and St. Balikuddembe (Owino) markets are set to benefit from low-interest government funding, known as Katale loan. The business financing project targets low-income earners and will be disbursed through the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) at an interest rate of only eight per cent (8%) per annum. This move follows a directive from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni that aims at empowering traders. According to State House officials, the initiative is a pilot project scheduled to be rolled out to several other markets within the central region with the intent to empower more traders; this, however, will be dependent on the success rate in Kampala. This Presidential directive, the first of its kind, is set to benefit over 10,000 vendors in 24 sub-markets within Kalerwe alone and several others who ply their trade in Owino market. Speaking during a stakeholders' meeting at Fairway Hotel on Tuesday 20th May 2025, between government officials and market representatives from the two key markets, Mr. Moses Byaruhanga, the Senior Presidential Advisor In-charge of Political Mobilization assured the vendors (traders) that the government has provided this financial option to save them from unscrupulous money lenders whose terms of service are very exploitative. “We have been told that access to finance is not progressing very well, yet we hear that so many moneylenders are profiting from these markets,” Mr. Byaruhanga noted. He also expressed concerns that moneylenders are unlawfully asking their clients to deposit national Identity cards, which was outlawed. “We have also been told that moneylenders are still taking your IDs as security to access loans/ financing,” he said. “We want you to be able to access loans with fewer hindrances and organise yourselves in small groups of five to ten vendors.” Mr. Byaruhanga also told the vendors that through MSC, the government will disburse these funds, which will be readily available to them to help boost their enterprises. According to Mr. Byaruhanga, this loan doesn't require security. “We need the group you belong to verify you as a borrower. The money is not deducted by MSC and will be deposited directly to your phone on your mobile money account.” He also told them that some vendors complicated the process for the government to improve their markets, as they had doubts about the government’s intentions to upgrade them. “Many of the vendors were worried about increments in rental fees if we cemented their markets, while others were concerned that if the government cemented their markets, their land might be taken,” he said. This prompted the government to only improve the markets that complied and left out those that rejected the move, which are now still operating in muddy conditions. The meeting was attended by over 200 people, including women traders and their leaders, Local Council chairpersons, market leaders and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials. Hajjat Madinah Nsereko, a State House official, thanked the mobilisation team for the commendable job which they executed under such short notice. Mr. Badru Lutalo, a market leader from Owino, said they have over 100 shelters, but each shelter has its leadership. He also appealed to the government to enable them to acquire an office for better coordination. The vendors generally expressed optimism and excitement about the Katale loan and mutually agreed to keep politics out of this new initiative for the betterment of all the market workers. On his part, Mr. Dalawusi Kibuuka, the vice chairperson of Ddembe market, which is located within Kalerwe market, pledged to sensitise his fellow vendors about the immense benefits of this new opportunity. Ms. Winnie Nalwoga from Nyanja zone (Owino market) appealed to KCCA not to complicate this process, saying that it could kill their morale and end up pushing them back to moneylenders. KCCA weighs in: Dr David Musunga, the deputy director of Production and Marketing at KCCA, responded to the issue raised by vendors about the hygiene of public toilets within the markets and said limited space is still a challenge, but pledged KCCA’s support. “We shall work together with MSC and provide the necessary support for better service delivery,” Mr. Musunga emphasised. Mr. Julius Kasirye, the manager of commercial services at KCCA, welcomed the vendors and commended them for their enterprising spirit, saying Kalerwe and Owino are key markets in Kampala, which is why they were chosen to pilot this project. “If this Katale loan fails in these two markets, it will be a setback for the other markets that are also in line to benefit from this opportunity,” Mr. Kasirye stated. How the Katale Loan will be accessed: According to MSC officials, the opportunity is open to adults aged between 18 to 75 years of age. They will be required to open bank accounts to simplify transactions. Ms. Lotah Arimureeba, a Client Relationship officer at MSC, said they are targeting members with small businesses, roadside vendors, those who operate stalls and low-income earners, especially women and single mothers. MSC is a government institution that was established in 2001 and provides loans to Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) after equipping them with financial literacy. “We have realised that sometimes market vendors find it hard to access funding. So, through the government, we are now able to provide you financing as MSC. The aim is for development,” she said, further clarifying that MSC is not politically affiliated with any party. She noted that vendors will be able to access the funding within two weeks after fulfilling the requirements, which include a photocopy of one's national ID and NIN. For one to benefit, they will only need endorsement from a market representative.

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21 May 2025
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI HAILS PARLIAMENT FOR PASSING THE UPDF AMENDMENT BILL, SAYS CLEAN POLITICS AND PEACE HAVE TRANSFORMED UGANDA

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has congratulated members of Parliament for passing the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, 2025. “I want to congratulate the Members of Parliament for passing the UPDF Amendment Bill. There was going to be a serious problem because some people were saying if a soldier does commit a crime such as killing a person, involving in theft or rapes a woman, they should be taken to the sub county (civilian courts) instead of the court martial. Those who were involved have to repent. There was going to be a serious collision between the army, parliament, and the courts of law, but they have saved us the embarrassment,” President Museveni said. The President, who is in the greater Luwero on the performance assessment tour on the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other wealth creation programs, made the remarks on Wednesday, 21st May 2025, while addressing a leaders’ meeting at Timnah Nursery and Primary school in Mabaale village, Luwero district. Parliament on 20th May, 2025, passed the UPDF Amendment Bill, which expands military courts’ authority to try civilians under specific conditions, such as possession of military equipment or collaboration with military personnel in serious crimes like treason or murder. “When we came from the bush, we decided that even the person who is not a soldier and decides to use a gun to perform a crime, we are going to charge them in the army courts,” the President emphasized, adding that it’s because of this strong resolve, and practicing what he termed as clean politics since 1986 that Uganda has remained peaceful and now focused on wealth creation. “We told you that among the main pillars of development are peace in the country because, as you hear, many countries around us are rich in minerals and oil, but they don’t have peace, and many of their people are here in Uganda as refugees. We now have 1,800,000 people as refugees here in Uganda,” he noted. He further emphasized that it’s only the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that is rooted in tenets of unity and national integration rather than sectarianism through the four principles of Patriotism, Pan Africanism, social-economic transformation, and democracy. President Museveni urged the citizens to understand prioritization in public administration by knowing what is crucial and immediate, adding that, whereas development is needed, wealth creation should come first, through commercial agriculture, services, ICT, and Manufacturing. He warned against land fragmentation describing it as a hindrance to wealth creation. “I had my neighbor in Kisozi. He was a very rich man with four square miles of land and 500 cows. When he died, the children just divided, and that huge estate disappeared. And some of the children sold their share. So, this is very dangerous. If that happens to every generation, what will happen to the remaining families?” President Museveni wondered, adding that the modern way is to divide and still use the land collectively and share profits. He gave an example of Hajjat Mariam Baiga's family in Ssekamuli, Bamunanika, which has succeeded in collective investment. He reminded the people about his proposal of the seven activities in the 1996 NRM Manifesto of intensive agriculture for those with 4 acres or less, and those with bigger land to practice extensive agriculture. “I proposed one acre for coffee, another acre for fruits (mangoes, oranges, or pineapples), grass for livestock in the third acre, and the fourth acre for food crops (bananas, cassava, etc). In the backyard, you can put piggery or poultry. Those near the swamps can engage in fish farming. This was our message in the 1996 manifesto. You can hear that the few who have listened to us are doing well,” President Museveni said, adding that crops such as cocoa and palm oil can also yield well in one acre. Other items such as cotton, tea, sugar cane, and maize, he said, require larger pieces of land. President Museveni said if the Shs100 million PDM support per parish is well managed, Ugandans will have their own Parish Banks worth 1.8 billion in 10 years but was quick to warn those mismanaging the funds by giving selectively to family members and friends. The NRM Vice National Chairman for the Central Region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi appreciated President Museveni for transforming Uganda through wealth creation activities, emphasizing coffee, which has transformed the Buganda region and Uganda at large. Presenting the scorecard in NRM’s performance in Greater Luwero, the party Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong said in 2016 Luwero district gave the NRM party 55.7% of the votes. Nakasongola 84%, and Nakaseke 76%, while in 2021 something happened and the support dropped from 55% in Luwero to 27%, from 84% to 65% in Nakasongola, and eventually from 76% to 53% in Nakaseke. “The question is, why? You are the leaders. You are the middlemen between the President and the people. We see no problem with the people, but the problem could be with us, the leaders, and we are here with our mentor to unpack the challenges we face with the people we lead,” Todwong said. Rt. Hon. Todwong thanked President Museveni for donating the Shs 300 million to the party that he received as a court award from Monitor newspaper. He said the party Secretariat has allocated it to Luwero district to construct a party office. “I'm happy to report that the process is ongoing, and very soon, we shall launch our party office in Luwero,” he added. The PDM performance in Greater Luwero: The National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, Hon. Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, revealed that in the four years, Shs 62 billion has been distributed among the 240 PDM SACCOs established in greater Luwero. Hon. Galabuzi noted that Luwero district has the highest number of Saccos (101), followed by Nakaseke (71), and Nakasongola (68). He added that a total of 65,414 beneficiaries have received the PDM funds in 65,000 households, with Luwero leading with 28,000 beneficiaries. Of these, 20,000 beneficiaries-33% are into crops, followed by livestock (cows, pigs, goats) at 26%, with 7,000 households specifically into piggery. “I congratulate you because you have performed well and distributed this money among the beneficiaries, up to 99.9% compared to other parts of the country. Thank you very much,” Hon. Galabuzi said, adding that 51% of the beneficiaries in greater Luwero are women, mostly from Luwero. He noted that most of them are located in the town councils of Luwero, Nakaseke, and Nakasongola. In other statistics, Hon. Galabuzi highlighted that 62% of the beneficiaries are between 31-69 years, those above 60 years are 12%, but was quick to add that the youths in greater Luwero are performing poorly at 26% coverage compared to the national statistics of 38%. “This is unique because we understand that due to unemployment, the youths are among the most affected by poverty. We need to find out why the youths in Greater Luwero are not active in PDM and get collective solutions,” Hon. Galabuzi added. Hon. Galabuzi acknowledged the challenge of inadequate agricultural extension workers compared to the increased demand, which is being solved by the established regional PDM facilitators to coordinate the program. Other challenges to address include intermittent electricity and a lack of water for production in the dry season. To date, a total amount of Shs3.2 trillion has been released to all 10,717 parishes in Uganda. Presenting on the performance of Emyooga program, the Minister of State for Microfinance, Hon. Haruna Kasolo, highlighted that the biggest problem emerging is the parish Sacco leaders who are selective in the distribution of PDM and Emyooga funds; those borrowing the money are not willing to return it. “We are going to force you to return this money. It is not returning to the government but in your Parish Saccos for others to also benefit,” Hon. Kasolo said. Hon. Ephraim Kamuntu, a Senior Presidential Advisor-Economic and Manifesto Implementation, also presented on the role of Musevenomics in Uganda's social and economic transformation and middle-income country. “Since the establishment of Uganda in 1894, this is the first time that Uganda has become a middle-income country, and it has done so in NRM’s time under Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s leadership,” Hon. Kamuntu said, adding that the driving force has been Musevenomics, which is an expression that has recently emerged to describe President Museveni’s scientific approach to understanding how an economy moves through transformative stages, including the Primary production stage, basically peasant and subsistence-based, and the second stage being the secondary production stage, where manufacturing is introduced. The third is the tertiary service stage, where the service sector becomes dominant in its GDP contribution (hotels, tourism, transport), and the fourth stage is the knowledge-based stage, evidenced by the contribution of science and ICT innovation. He added that using these frameworks, Musevenomics examines the evolution of Uganda’s economy before the British came, the 68 years of British administration in this country, the first 10 years after independence, and the performance of Uganda’s economy under the National Resistance Movement since 1986. The Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, Hon. Evelyn Anite, informed the meeting about the theme of the President's countrywide tour, which is “securing your future through wealth creation,” with a mission to get all Ugandans out of poverty. “Ladies and gentlemen, standing at the stairs of parliament in 1986 at his swearing in, the President promised Ugandans nothing but fundamental change. And indeed, we are witnessing a fundamental change, and we are in the place where the revolution started,” Hon. Anite said. Earlier, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, also presented on the status of land ownership and related issues, mainly about the relationship between squatters and landlords, highlighting the 2022 presidential executive order to all RDCs aimed at protecting squatters from unlawful eviction by the landlords. She asked leaders to make use of the Ministry’s zonal offices and the digital platforms to ascertain the authenticity of land. The meeting was attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, NRM leaders, among others.

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20 May 2025
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI KICKS OFF PDM TOUR IN GREATER LUWERO, CALLS FOR A WORKING POLICE SYSTEM

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon the Uganda Police to operationalize the new policing system of deploying 18 police officers per sub-county across the country, along with one motorcycle and sniffer dogs, as part of the efforts to enhance security and improve rapid response to criminal activities. According to the President, the guidance emphasizes a more decentralized and proactive approach to law enforcement, especially in rural areas where police presence has traditionally been minimal or slow to respond. “This theft is a nuisance, and it must stop. The things to stop it are there, but they are not used. They (police) must mobilize and sensitize the people to handle the crime scenes,” President Museveni said. President Museveni made the remarks on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025, as he began his Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tour in the Greater Luwero sub-region districts of Luwero, Nakasongola, and Nakaseke, where theft was highlighted as one of the hindrances to the success of the PDM program. “I think what I guided is not followed. If there is an officer on duty all the time, and anything happens, you ring them, and they come. In case they (thieves) walk and later board cars, we have cameras on the roads, and we can see which vehicles are moving in that area at that time,” the President noted, adding that, in his view, scattering police officers everywhere might not help as much. “To protect all Ugandans, we only need speed, a communication system, and sniffer dogs to follow up the thieves,” he added. During the continuation of his national Presidential tour to evaluate the progress and impact of the government’s flagship poverty alleviation program, the president visited several farmers, including Hajjat Mariam Bayega, a PDM beneficiary in Sekamuli parish, Bamunanika sub-county, Luwero District. “I'm happy to be here in the home of Hajjat Mariam Bayega. I have seen the chicken, the cows, the coffee, the matooke, and everything they do here. What they’re doing here is very good, and I congratulate them on the good work they have started,” President Museveni said after a guided tour of the wealth creation activities at Hajjat Bayega’s home. The President gave Hajjat Bayega Shs 12 million to buy two cows for milk production, a four-wheel double-cabin vehicle to aid transportation, and a solar-powered water system. “I want her to begin irrigation, and we will see the benefits. I will send you a solar-powered system,” he emphasized. President Museveni also emphasized that the PDM is central to the National Resistance Movement government's strategy for wealth creation at the grassroots level, aiming to integrate all Ugandans into the money economy. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every Ugandan is actively involved in their socio-economic transformation,” stated President Museveni. Highlighting the distinction between wealth creation and overall development, the President urged the people of Greater Luwero to recognize that while wealth creation requires individual motivation and undertaking, development is a responsibility of the government. Hajjat Bayega informed President Museveni that the family earns approximately Shs 37 million per year as profits from coffee, cocoa, poultry, and selling milk, highlighting insecurity as a major challenge after the relocation of the police station from Ssekanyonyi. The President also gave Shs 1 million shillings to each of the 10 PDM beneficiaries in Sekamuli parish who had gathered to listen to his wealth creation message. He also donated Shs 5 million to rehabilitate the village mosque and Shs 5 million to the Anglican bishop of Luwero. Earlier in Wobulenzi, President Museveni visited Nakayenga Damalie, a PDM beneficiary involved in poultry with over 400 chickens and five (5) pigs, all as a result of the Shs 1 million PDM funds. In a show of support for Ms. Nakayenga's continued growth and success, President Museveni donated a total of Shs 30 million; this includes Shs 20 million toward her project and an additional Shs 10 million to enhance her poultry farm structures. Ms. Nakayenga, expressing her gratitude, acknowledged the government's role in empowering citizens through the Parish Development Model. She praised the PDM for providing affordable financing options, particularly with its competitive interest rate of only 6% per annum, allowing beneficiaries to revive socio-economic integration at the grassroots level. As of May 6th, 2025, a total of Shs 61.716 billion had been allocated to the 240 PDM SACCOs across the 3 districts in Greater Luwero, with Luwero receiving the highest amount (Shs 25.972 billion), followed by Nakaseke (Shs 18.257 billion), and the least being Nakasongola (UGX 17.486 billion) due to its fewer parishes. According to the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) population census, Greater Luwero has a total population of 1,093,714 people, settled in 8 constituencies, 48 sub-counties (including divisions and town councils), 241 parishes, and 1,428 villages. On the other hand, in response to concerns raised by the local community regarding market vendors operating in wetland areas, President Museveni directed the relocation of the Kikoma roadside market, Wobulenzi Town Council. He committed to purchasing land for the new market site and tasked the NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja with overseeing the implementation of this plan. President Museveni’s visit to the Greater Luwero underscores his commitment to promoting economic empowerment and sustainable development for the people of Uganda. By fostering community engagement and providing essential resources, the NRM government aims to elevate the socioeconomic status of all Ugandans.

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19 May 2025
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI RALLIES KITAGWENDA RESIDENTS ON HOMESTEAD INCOME AND FREE EDUCATION IN UPE AND USE SCHOOLS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, yesterday addressed a rally at Kichwamba Secondary School in Kitagwenda District, thanking residents for their cooperation in maintaining peace and rejecting rebel activities. He credited the prevailing peace to the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s politics of interest rather than identity, its commitment to women’s emancipation, and non-discrimination based on religion or tribe. The President highlighted that while infrastructure like tarmac roads and electricity are important, they cannot uplift individuals without a source of income. He stressed that the government’s current priority is to boost homestead income, arguing that financial stability begins at household level. President Museveni assured citizens that even those with small land holdings can succeed, citing Richard Nyakana from Fort Portal, who runs a thriving one-acre farm. He outlined the Parish Development Model (PDM) as a key initiative to support poor Ugandans lacking startup capital. Under the PDM, each parish receives Shs 100 million annually, and beneficiaries can borrow Shs 1 million at a 6% interest rate repayable in over two years. He insisted the money belongs to the people and will never return to government coffers, urging locals to report any officials misappropriating the funds. President Museveni reiterated his commitment to free education in both primary and secondary government schools, revealing plans to invest more in recruiting teachers and building classrooms. He announced the donation of buses to Kichwamba Secondary School and Humura Secondary School and contributed Shs 60 million towards the construction of Kitagwenda Mosque. Local leaders, including Kitagwenda Woman MP, Hon. Nyakato Dorothy and Kitagwenda County MP, Hon. Nulu Byamukama, thanked the President for creating Kitagwenda District and for initiating the PDM initiative. Hon. Byamukama also appealed to the President to tarmac roads in the district to ease coffee transportation to markets.

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19 April 2025
TRUMP TRADE TARIFFS OVERRATED: CHINA REMAINS THE REAL ECONOMIC DEAL

One would expect a thorough study before major policy shift announcements, but it seems Donald Trump’s tariffs are a kneejerk response to US’s growing inability to compete effectively in a ‘free’ market economy it had preached when world conditions still favored it. Consequently, Trump appears to smash the glass doors, make U-turns, cuts back, gives unilateral unexplained exemptions like this week on one million iPhones sets alongside semiconductors, solar cells, memory cards and other electronic devises imports from China, hoping no one noticed. By that silent stroke, Trump exempted China’s single biggest export by value to the US. China’s response should be strategic, targeted and surgical stopping importation of over 250 metric tons of chicken feet annually from US worth US 469m dollars, oilseeds, soybeans, corn and wheat , and raise control of rare earth minerals export to the US. A string of humiliation in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan, the US is smiting with a vengeance in a new world where its superpower prowess cannot dictate terms like the yesteryears. A superpower that rose, maintained and still seeks to keep its status through old trickery, lopsided rules, bullying, blackmail, robbery, and when all fail, brute force, will not last long, is staring into a dark pit, waiting to implode. The world is seeing Trump’s cold calculations delivered with bluster as he hides in plain view, but he thinks he is in a thick forest. And all Trump’s megalomaniac tactics are good lessons for the world particularly Africa which has marginally survived on the periphery since Eden. Trump’s America is failing to innovate and compete with China at the global stage and hence resorting to blackmail and applying its well-known strongarm tactics. A superpower that slapped trade embargo on poor African countries for simply refusing to buy used secondhand clothes, women’s knickers and bras from the US, doesn’t deserve respect. Trump is in trepidation of China’s supercharged smart technology, cost-effective labor, and global network for raw materials under the Road and Belt Initiative enabling it to build robust industrial, manufacturing, assembly and trading infrastructure especially in emerging territories hitherto sidelined by the west. A superpower that fears, and cannot face competition in a ‘free’ capitalist world it preached for ages to others when still convenient, is simply overrated. And with a population of 1.4bn that rose from obscurity only 40 years ago when America and its western allies didn’t support it, China cannot be browbeaten into line today. Likewise Trump’s push for Russia-Ukraine settlement, is a calculated lullaby to divert world attention from Israel’s war crime underway in Gaza and its land grab dubbed ‘expanding security corridor’ without anyone waving it down. It is a heartless naked double standard that has exposed US exceptionalism even to the dumbest watchers of global politics. Trump’s demand to NATO members to increase their defence spending though prudent, aims to force them lockdown Russia while US focuses mainly on China. That way, there is division of labour in the imperial war of attrition, and hope to easily succeed. In the smog of Trump’s muddled Russia-Ukraine meddling, global sweeping trade tariffs for protectionism, and his domestic disputes, he seems to be succeeding in shielding Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu from any meaningful scrutiny by the UN or their own western allies who often posture as the defenders of human rights and international rules. Since the collapse of the temporary peace deal for hostage, and prisoner swap, Israel has resumed its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza’s defenseless women and children, and doesn’t hide its cynicism referring to victims as Hamas militants. The US, UK, France and Germany face crumbling public infrastructure in energy, health, education and employment because they can no longer steal from the world with impunity, and unable to return to glorious manufacturing when they confiscate other’s assets as done to Russia and Venezuela.

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12 April 2025
NRM AND YOWERI MUSEVENI; A DICTATORSHIP THAT OILS THE OPPOSITION

Galatians 3:13. “Cursed is everyone who’s hanged on a tree.” Five years since the 2021 general elections, pointers show that opposition political serpents in the National Unity Platform (NUP), Democratic P(DP), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and infertile Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) are in disarray from within and outside. The infant so-called Popular Peoples Front (PPF), formed by political crybabies Erias Lukwago, Kizza Besigye, Omulongo Wasswa Birigwa and Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, is most likely a stillbirth, and yet a spider’s web has only caught flies. The cards in NUP, DP, FDC and UPC are collapsing in spectacular ways because of internal intrigue, conspiracies, sabotage, open hostilities, and apparent infiltration, that their canters cannot hold under the evolving explosive fallouts as the cavalcades draw down. In a metaphorical sense, this forthcoming general elections is actually for NRM to lose if it doesn’t tidy up its many blatant careless acts. Even if voters don’t transfer their anger against NRM for lack of better alternatives, as in 2021,and recently Kawempe North, they could just stay away from the ballot boxes. All opposition groups have been driving an old cliché, and false narrative conjured by former humiliated UPC ‘Iron lady’ Cecilia Atim Ogwal, between 1986 and 2005, and may she continue to rest in peace, that the NRM and Museveni were a ‘monolithic dictatorship’. Now, most have seen, that each opposition group, or leader since Milton Obote, Ogwal, Tiberio Okeny Atwoma, Michael Kaggwa of DP-Mobilisers Group, Paul Ssemogerere, Aggrey Awori, James Rwanyarare, Yonasani Kanyomozi, Kizza Besigye, Patrick Amuriat among others, have each, one by one, fallen. It is still hard to tell for how long the current opposition will stand. NRM and Yoweri Museveni are a ‘dictatorship’ that majorly on its own enacted a law that recognizes political parties opposed to them, including having the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), and all opposition parties in parliament heavily funded from state coffers, commensurate to their numerical strength, and they utilise the money given in ways they deem fit. NRM, certainly, should be a benevolent dictatorship, not the worst kind. NRM is also a ‘dictatorship’ that permits the opposition in parliament to annually present an alternative State of the Nation Address (SONA) and Budget, following the government ones, and both are actually discussed on the floor of parliament. NRM is a ‘dictatorship’ that has ceded the leadership, management and control of all accountability committees like PAC, COSASE, and Government Assurances among others in parliament to the obtusely shallow opposition parties which have turned them into financial and other forms of aggrandizement. And let us, be charitable, for lack of a better word, NRM and Museveni is a ‘dictatorship’ in which the leaders of opposition parties are hands-in-glove with government, including for DP president Norbert Mao and Betty Among of UPC as cabinet ministers. To be magnanimous, looking at the physical appearances of the most vocal, even virulent opposition leaders like Robert Kyagulanyi (NUP), Joel Ssenyonyi (LoP), Louis Rubongoya (NUP-SG), Mao, Jimmy Akena (UPC), Nandala Mafabi, Lukwago, Ssemujju Nganda, sneering Medard Segona, ever frothing Muwanga Kivumbi, or Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba now in near limbo, and their many sidekicks, you cannot say they are not round-faced, oily, and shiny in well-polished suits, neckties and shoes to match. A ‘dictatorship’ usually drives its political opponents underground, stifles their physical presence, commercial businesses, forces them into unsafe exile, and in some cases assassination. NRM must make opposition groups own up their many contradictions, so as to beat them politically at the next elections, and NRM should not panic in fear and retreat that it is getting past time to explain, defend its record and what it truly stands for. Procrastination, and vacillating in trepidation in face of opposition propaganda cannot make NRM win this ning battle of a life time in 2026.

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05 April 2025
BUGANDA QUESTION IN UGANDA AND ROBERT KYAGULANYIS EMPTY HUBRIS

In the political fog of Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo’s Supreme Court ruling, Kizza Besigye botched trial at the General Court Martial, and Kawempe North byelection, a little hubris blew over Mengo, seat of Buganda’s old feudal institution, referred to as a ‘kingdom’. In an otherwise careless mistake, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics conjured delineation of Buganda as North, and South-central Uganda, which tickled heads, and set loose togues wagging that ‘Buganda had been erased’ from the map of Uganda. Resurrecting the charge, abandoned by Kabaka Ronald Mutebi years back, was, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, hoping to extract undue political capital. But his shallow efforts fell to the bottom, because, Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga, promptly debunked him. Speaking with suppressed contempt, Mayiga questioned if ‘Buganda had been lifted out of Uganda and taken to Congo or Tanzania, and how that could possibly be done.’ And with that, Kyagulanyi died silently in his own movie. Kyagulanyi, with a relatively short stint in public politics, relishes bending facts and reality, unfortunately, with so little tact. Julius Kambarage Nyerere, used to say that people who are politically bankrupt, often seek refuge in archaic narratives of religion and ethnicity as their main factor of mobilisation. In Uganda’s case, it is easy to know and identify them, although we have not been able to decisively isolate them from a gullible population. These malcontents haven’t understood how Mandela and Nyerere became citizens not only of their respective countries, but Africa and the world, representing causes, struggles across races and the globe. Somehow, they still believe that their miniature ‘kings’ and ‘kingdoms’ are great, or capable of greatness in Uganda and the world. Madiba, Nyerere, Indhira Gandhi, or Fidel Castro, and all people who have been great in the recent modern era, became so by liberating themselves from the idiocy of tribal, religious and racial chauvinism. Kyagulanyi, and some people in Mengo who think alike ought to know that since ‘Buganda’ failed to keep its greatness in the so-called ‘golden’ times, and was conquered by a few religious colonists posing as missionaries when many parts of present-day Uganda were still remote peripheries, that ‘greatness’ cannot be reinvented alone in isolation. The earlier this fact sinks, the better, otherwise, Mengo stand to lose another century fighting lost causes. Today, much of Buganda, including the precincts of Bulange, Mengo, Lubiri, Namirembe, Kasubi, and the surrounding environments of Kyadondo, Busiro, Kyaggwe, Buddu, Bulemezi, Singo and Buvuma, are so cosmopolitan, making it very difficult for feudal chauvinists to succeed. Buganda like other regions of Uganda face common afflictions of poverty resultant from lack of technology, productivity, critical skills, transport, energy, and industrial infrastructure which must be tackled jointly in a coordinated manner to dig Uganda out of the hole. Mengo apparatchiks have since 1953 under Governor Andrew Cohen unsuccessfully tried to extort with menaces which led to Edward Mutesa’s deportation to England. They then extolled and extorted Milton Obote in an electoral marriage of convenience that didn’t last long. Idi Amin was welcomed on a clean carpet and praised as saviour for deposing Obote and returning Mutesa’s corpse. Undone, they warmed up to Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa head of a most primitive military junta, and later president Yoweri Museveni who restored a defunct kingdom, its estates and has doled out massive public money, but is nevertheless, now being kicked. While many Ugandans are not in favour of a hard tackle with Mengo or Bugandaism, a frank engagement is necessary to save Uganda, that we all call home where no one group should demand special privileges. History tells us that monarchies are built and survive on sweat, and blood of the underprivileged. They are embroidery made by the hands of poor grandmothers, and never on a legacy to advance liberty, freedom, individual human rights or happiness.

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30 March 2025
COURTS, SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY; THE NEED TO TAME ELITE POLITICAL ARROGANCE

Usually, there would be neither goal, nor benefit in taking pleasure in the trials and tribulations of men, because after all, they are not made of real steel, but soft soils. Kizza Besigye, arrogant uncouth lawyerman Eron Kizza, and table bang-man Isaac Ssemakadde who had momentarily recently come on top of the world, are now all chilling lonely from different underground locations. Much of their self-inflicted wounds were driven by the false pursuit of pseudo fame of politics, and media, especially today’s superficial social media where everyone is clever, only by a half. Now the world is so quiet and serene, in ways many didn’t anticipate. The trio failed to appreciate that the world actually doesn’t rotate around men, but the other way round. As the Baganda would say, Uganda Law Society president, “Ssemakadde kati alira ku nsiko”, as in undeclared and undisclosed self-imposed exile. Ssemakadde came in a hurricane, chainsaw in hand, in premeditation to cut down Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, DPP Jane Frances Abodo, CJ Owiny-Dollo, and High Court Judge Musa Sekana. Now, the supposed lawman, has run away and in hiding from the law. For a man, whose election was only recently so volatile, electrifying, sensational, and spoke with so much insulting unprovoked contempt, to have his braggadocio neatly folded in such a short time, he needs to respect those who have traveled a longer distance than himself in public life. Kizza Besigye’s lawyers, political surrogates alongside journeymen, and the so-called human rights defenders, wanted him, if he has any criminal case, to be tried in the civilian courts. But, for strange reasons, the state had foolishly opted for the much-disputed military court martial. Another local adage, “he who chases you, gives you wisdom,” comes in very handy here, as the hullabaloo, including the media frenzy campaign #FreeBesigye, has now, on its own, collapsed, almost completely. And what a good tiding, that the political tantrums of his ‘companion’, Winnie Byanyima, delivered with hyperbole, too have died out. Besigye’s orchestrated political blackmail, through a self-generated hunger strike, seeking to end his own life in humiliation, came to naught. Dead people are buried, and life moves on. Heroes Day, 9 June, is still more than two months away, and it is unlikely that a good big tree on which to hang Kizza Besigye has been found. That threat, conveyed through cold-sad humour, was perhaps only meant for psychological warfare. To maintain the unchallenged authority, dignity, respect and decorum of courts of law, even when we disagree with their judicial decisions, lawyers Eron Kizza and Ssemakadde following the footsteps of Male Mabirizi, ought to be made good examples, otherwise the public may have no place of refuge when there are disputes. Eggs have to be broken, to make good omelet. The overtures by justice minister Norbert Mao, reported in the media, if true, that he seeks to have Ssemakadde’s conviction and the two-year jail term for contempt of court, negotiated, has no basis in law, but probably only as a political appeasement, but Kizza Eron, who has served sometime in jail and learnt his lesson, ought to be granted parole. In the old days, of ‘Dr’ Idi Amin Dada-Field Marshal, Life President and Conqueror of the British Empire, and UPC under Apollo Milton Obote, the army, police and intelligence personnel were a law onto themselves. Today, the UPDF, even with Kawempe north byelection fracas, is still a much better army Ugandans can rely on to do good. Just imagine, if all UPDF Generals, in their bloated numbers, were allowed a freewheel from self-inflated ego and passage. As we face another round of NRM primaries, usually fraught with absurdities including open electoral bribery and violence, NRM must, this time apply drastic measures on its high-profile instigators of election malpractices including outright disqualification, to bring back discipline.

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23 March 2025
KAWEMPE NORTH BYELECTION: NRM AND THE FEAR OF THE BITTER TRUTH

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has just suffered a heavy defeat in the Kawempe Division North parliamentary byelection held last week to replace Muhammad Ssegirinya. Through many of our own missteps, Ssegirinya made a great name for himself, and now, even in death, he is tacitly being honoured by NRM’s repudiation of the election results as a sham. Many people, even casual observers, see the rejection of the election results mostly as an exercise in futility, perhaps intended to avoid the painful political truth of newfound untenable methods, a popularity under stress, and a contest that is dwindling. By publicly overlaying the threats posed by NUP goons, NRM inadvertently instilled fear among its own supporters and voters. The counter-heavy deployment of Police and the army also intimidated opposition supporters, leading to the appallingly low voter turnout of only 18% – 28,002 voters out of the 199,500 registered voters. NRM’s revolutionary and progressive methods now appear abandoned in favour of the cheap conveniences of laxity, soft money, bribery, corruption, and even political violence. These tactics are driving away supporters, voters and people of good common sense, yet its leaders are afraid to publicly admit it. Someone within NRM must tell the cat. Seeing Prime Minister ‘Maijegere’ Robinah Nabbanja parade one of Ssegirinya’s alleged young orphans to extract votes was base, considering the circumstances of his death. NRM last won in Kawempe and Lubaga divisions of Kampala a long time ago – 25 years and counting. Since the return of multiparty democracy, it has suffered repeated drubbings in Kampala, which has become its Waterloo, with no end to its misery in sight. NRM already has a huge parliamentary working majority of 378 out of 529, which is not well-utilised. One wonders why the party turned this byelection – for a seat lasting only seven months before the general election – into a high-stakes, do-or-die affair. There were too many cooks and too many hands in the pie, pulling in different directions for different goals, ultimately spoiling the broth. With the vibrancy of a young population – mostly uneducated, unemployable, or educated with high but unfulfilled expectations – enjoying the radio, television and social media sunshine, yet possessing voting rights, it is difficult to see this misery ending soon if NRM maintains the same laxity and false sense of entitlement. In general elections, especially for the presidency and in recent byelection losses, NRM figures – starting with the obtuse Central Executive Committee – have often sought scapegoats rather than accepting the glaringly evident truths surrounding the party’s current political manoeuvring. In the Buganda region – once a stronghold – and increasingly in Busoga, with expanding urbanisation, NRM could soon become a species threatened with extinction. Renting electoral campaign crowds or relying on bravado and militarism are unlikely to be effective solutions. To survive, NRM must return to hard, creative, and innovative proactive political mobilisation, alongside delivering good public services to the broad majority of Ugandans. The deliberate fabrication, falsification, embellishment and exaggeration of security and political intelligence as underhand methods against our adversaries during elections have become too common and embarrassing to be believed, even by the average member of the public. It may be true that NUP activists had planned to orchestrate the most heinous crimes in Kawempe, particularly on polling day, but that is only known to security agencies. However, given past similar accusations that collapsed under scrutiny, the state needed to do better and apply an even hand. Watching fully dressed police, military, and counter-terrorism officers, armed to the teeth with sophisticated lethal weapons of war, assault election campaigners, voters and journalists and ransack polling stations to scatter voting materials even NRM supporters could not hide their trepidation at how low we had sunk. Rather than going to court or throwing unhelpful political tantrums over the Kawempe loss, NRM should simply wash off the heavy mud on its shoes. Blaming others, when we have been in charge of Uganda for the past four decades, is not a very clever strategy.

National News

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2026 POLLS: COL. NAKALEMA ASSURES TOURISTS ON SECURITY

As the clock ticks towards the fast-approaching 2026 general elections, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema has allayed tourists' fears of any possible insecurity, saying the democratic affair shall be conducted peacefully. Despite other countries where tourism tends to come to a standstill due to election orchestrated violence, Col. Nakalema says the case will be different for Uganda, therefore encouraging more tourists to continue planning to visit the country. “In Uganda, we prioritise the protection of investors who include the tourists because they play a big role in supporting our economy. I can assure you all that the country is peaceful, and we are working to maintain the status even during the forthcoming elections,” she said. Col. Nakalema made the remarks on Thursday 22nd May 2025 during the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo 2025 held at Speke Resort, Munyonyo. She also revealed that Uganda is one of the best tourist destinations in the world. “We are walking the talk, and I'm proud the international bodies are noticing. We have been declared the best tourist destination countless times,” she said. Col. Nakalema said the State House Investors Protection Unit is working with NITA-Uganda to leverage technology to ensure protection of tourists. She said there are efforts by the government to create a thriving investment climate, a move she says the government is succeeding. “Tourism is a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy, and the government prioritizes the safety of visitors, especially during elections. National parks are closely monitored with robust security measures, and law enforcement works tirelessly to maintain the safety and well-being of travelers in safari zones,” she acknowledged. The reassurance comes at the time when political parties are gearing up preparations towards a democratic affair with the ruling party-NRM already setting pace for internal electoral processes. She pointed out that Uganda is renowned for its dedicated tourism police force, which ensures the safety of travelers across the country. “Tour operators are well-informed about the election season and will make any necessary adjustments to your itinerary to avoid areas affected by political activity, ensuring minimal disruption to your journey,” she said. Ms. Doreen Katusiime, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities rallied investors to choose Uganda, noting that the country is peaceful and with adequate physical features. According to Mr. Amos Wekesa, a member of the Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda, famously dubbed the Pearl of Africa, possesses all the elements required to dominate the global tourism sector. "From its unique mountain gorillas to the world’s most powerful waterfalls, the country is a treasure store of natural and cultural wonders. However, despite a steady post-COVID recovery and notable achievements, Uganda lags behind regional competitors like Kenya and Tanzania in realizing its tourism potential." Mr. Wekesa pointed out that to top the world's tourism rankings, Uganda must address systemic challenges while strategically leveraging its unique offerings. He says the sector has demonstrated resilience, with revenue rising from Shs110bn in 2017/18 to Shs156.5bn in 2023/24. Employment has surged to 610,806, and visitor numbers to national parks and the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) are on the rise. However, foreign exchange earnings of $1.025 billion in FY 2023/24 remain significantly below the $1.6 billion recorded pre-pandemic in 2019/20. “While infrastructure upgrades like improved tourism roads and the near-complete Entebbe Airport expansion have spurred growth, critical gaps in funding, inadequate marketing, and climate-related challenges continue to hold Uganda back,” Mr. Wekesa said. Mr. Herbert Byaruhanga, a seasoned tourism consultant, asserted that Uganda must rethink its strategy to achieve global leadership. “We need to learn from the tourism sectors of other economies, leverage our unique attractions, and position ours as a premier destination. Only then can we attract the numbers and investment required to grow the sector,” he said. He noted that the government needs to prioritize tourism in its budget, ensuring critical projects receive adequate funding. According to the available data, tourism significantly contributes to Uganda's economy. In 2023, it directly contributed 3.64% to GDP, employing 1.6 million people or 14.7% of the total workforce. The sector also generated significant revenue, with inbound visitors spending over Shs4.58 trillion on tourism services and domestic tourists spending approximately Shs2.97 trillion.

2025-05-23

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“THERE ARE MORE JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAN IN GOVERNMENT,” SAYS PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AS HE CONCLUDES PDM TOUR IN GREATER LUWERO

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon Ugandans to take the Parish Development Model (PDM) seriously because of its huge potential to get them out of poverty and generate more employment opportunities than the government can provide. According to the President, wealth creation at the grassroots level, particularly through commercial agriculture and small-scale enterprises, is the key to sustainable job creation in Uganda. “People waste a lot of time looking for government jobs. And the leaders also don’t explain very well that in a developing country, there are more jobs in the private sector than in the government because the government jobs are few. The government jobs (civil servants, police, the army, teachers, and health workers) are 480,000. The population of Uganda is 46 million. So, how can they be satisfied? The people who are doing the PDM era are already employing people,” President Museveni said. He made the remarks on Thursday, 22nd May, 2025, while addressing a rally at Wabinyonyi playground, Nakasongola Town Council, Nakasongola district, as he concluded his three-day performance assessment tour on the Parish Development Model and other wealth creation activities in Greater Luwero. President Museveni gave an example of the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, who is employing 26 people on his 4-acre model farm, and one Nyakana Richard of Rwengaaju in Kabarole, who is employing 15 people, using 1.2 acres of land. “Uganda has 40 million acres of arable land. I was calculating that if we used only seven million acres like Nyakana has done, and each acre created 15 jobs, we would have 105 million jobs, more than all the people of Uganda. We would have so many jobs to the extent of importing workers,” the President noted. President Museveni added that the factories are already employing 1.2 million people, three times more than in the government. “You, the parents, need to advise your children that the government jobs are limited. You prepare yourself to work in commercial farms, factories, and service sectors or become a job creator in the commercial agricultural sector,” he stressed. The President hinged his address on six pillars, namely, peace, security, development, wealth, health, and education, as key to achieving socio-economic transformation, while emphasizing that they should be handled carefully through prioritization in the spirit of patriotism. “You people should continue supporting the NRM, which believes in unity for all Ugandans, and that’s one of the pillars of peace,” he said. President Museveni emphasized that whereas development (enkulakulana) reflected in social services such as roads, health centers, schools, and electricity is crucial, wealth creation and fighting household poverty should be everybody’s concern. “This road to Gulu was tarmacked soon after independence and has been tarmacked since that time for 60 years, but up to now, there are poor people residing around it. So, NRM does not want you to only talk about development but also household incomes,” he said, adding that it’s the reason the NRM, since 1995 has been supporting the wealth creation drive through initiatives such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, and now PDM. The President pointed out a few people who have listened and are doing well, such as Joseph Ijara of Serere, who uses two and a half acres to do poultry and livestock, earning him more than Shs 1 billion a year through selling eggs and milk, with profits amounting to over Shs800 million per year. Others are Hajjat Mariam Baiga in Ssekamuli, Bamunaanika in Luwero, Nalubowa Aida of Nakaseke, and a 64-year-old Tumusiime Deziranta who just started with Shs 1 million from PDM and is doing well. According to President Museveni, if the PDM is taken seriously, the parish SACCOs will reach an extent of owning banks worth Shs 1.6 billion in 10 years, and this will save them the burden of running to money lenders who charge them exorbitant profits. After two years, a PDM beneficiary who received Shs 1 million is expected to return it with an interest of Shs 120,000 only. “So please, don’t neglect this. I heard people blaming the Sacco leaders for prioritizing family members and friends. This is because you don’t go there. A parish Sacco is for everybody above 18 years in that parish, and when you meet, that’s how you elect your Sacco leaders. Be active and get involved,” President Museveni stressed. President Museveni also promised to set up a special fund for the fishermen after leaders appreciated him for protecting the lakes through the fisheries protection unit, which has streamlined fishing activities. The NRM Vice National Chairperson for central region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi appreciated President Museveni for visiting greater Luwero. “We know the President has not been able to reach everybody, but his tour is a gesture of appreciation for what we are doing as the Greater Luwero in terms of wealth creation,” Hon. Kiwanda said. The Member of Parliament for Nakasongola County, Hon. Mutebi Noah Wanzala, and the area woman MP Zawedde Victorious called for a special land fund to compensate absentee landlords who are evicting tenants. The ceremony was also attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, NRM leaders, among others.

2025-05-22

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PRESIDENT MUSEVENI DIRECTS MSC TO OFFER 8 PERCENT ANNUAL INTEREST LOANS TO MARKET VENDORS

Vendors from Kalerwe and St. Balikuddembe (Owino) markets are set to benefit from low-interest government funding, known as Katale loan. The business financing project targets low-income earners and will be disbursed through the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) at an interest rate of only eight per cent (8%) per annum. This move follows a directive from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni that aims at empowering traders. According to State House officials, the initiative is a pilot project scheduled to be rolled out to several other markets within the central region with the intent to empower more traders; this, however, will be dependent on the success rate in Kampala. This Presidential directive, the first of its kind, is set to benefit over 10,000 vendors in 24 sub-markets within Kalerwe alone and several others who ply their trade in Owino market. Speaking during a stakeholders' meeting at Fairway Hotel on Tuesday 20th May 2025, between government officials and market representatives from the two key markets, Mr. Moses Byaruhanga, the Senior Presidential Advisor In-charge of Political Mobilization assured the vendors (traders) that the government has provided this financial option to save them from unscrupulous money lenders whose terms of service are very exploitative. “We have been told that access to finance is not progressing very well, yet we hear that so many moneylenders are profiting from these markets,” Mr. Byaruhanga noted. He also expressed concerns that moneylenders are unlawfully asking their clients to deposit national Identity cards, which was outlawed. “We have also been told that moneylenders are still taking your IDs as security to access loans/ financing,” he said. “We want you to be able to access loans with fewer hindrances and organise yourselves in small groups of five to ten vendors.” Mr. Byaruhanga also told the vendors that through MSC, the government will disburse these funds, which will be readily available to them to help boost their enterprises. According to Mr. Byaruhanga, this loan doesn't require security. “We need the group you belong to verify you as a borrower. The money is not deducted by MSC and will be deposited directly to your phone on your mobile money account.” He also told them that some vendors complicated the process for the government to improve their markets, as they had doubts about the government’s intentions to upgrade them. “Many of the vendors were worried about increments in rental fees if we cemented their markets, while others were concerned that if the government cemented their markets, their land might be taken,” he said. This prompted the government to only improve the markets that complied and left out those that rejected the move, which are now still operating in muddy conditions. The meeting was attended by over 200 people, including women traders and their leaders, Local Council chairpersons, market leaders and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials. Hajjat Madinah Nsereko, a State House official, thanked the mobilisation team for the commendable job which they executed under such short notice. Mr. Badru Lutalo, a market leader from Owino, said they have over 100 shelters, but each shelter has its leadership. He also appealed to the government to enable them to acquire an office for better coordination. The vendors generally expressed optimism and excitement about the Katale loan and mutually agreed to keep politics out of this new initiative for the betterment of all the market workers. On his part, Mr. Dalawusi Kibuuka, the vice chairperson of Ddembe market, which is located within Kalerwe market, pledged to sensitise his fellow vendors about the immense benefits of this new opportunity. Ms. Winnie Nalwoga from Nyanja zone (Owino market) appealed to KCCA not to complicate this process, saying that it could kill their morale and end up pushing them back to moneylenders. KCCA weighs in: Dr David Musunga, the deputy director of Production and Marketing at KCCA, responded to the issue raised by vendors about the hygiene of public toilets within the markets and said limited space is still a challenge, but pledged KCCA’s support. “We shall work together with MSC and provide the necessary support for better service delivery,” Mr. Musunga emphasised. Mr. Julius Kasirye, the manager of commercial services at KCCA, welcomed the vendors and commended them for their enterprising spirit, saying Kalerwe and Owino are key markets in Kampala, which is why they were chosen to pilot this project. “If this Katale loan fails in these two markets, it will be a setback for the other markets that are also in line to benefit from this opportunity,” Mr. Kasirye stated. How the Katale Loan will be accessed: According to MSC officials, the opportunity is open to adults aged between 18 to 75 years of age. They will be required to open bank accounts to simplify transactions. Ms. Lotah Arimureeba, a Client Relationship officer at MSC, said they are targeting members with small businesses, roadside vendors, those who operate stalls and low-income earners, especially women and single mothers. MSC is a government institution that was established in 2001 and provides loans to Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) after equipping them with financial literacy. “We have realised that sometimes market vendors find it hard to access funding. So, through the government, we are now able to provide you financing as MSC. The aim is for development,” she said, further clarifying that MSC is not politically affiliated with any party. She noted that vendors will be able to access the funding within two weeks after fulfilling the requirements, which include a photocopy of one's national ID and NIN. For one to benefit, they will only need endorsement from a market representative.

2025-05-21

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PRESIDENT MUSEVENI HAILS PARLIAMENT FOR PASSING THE UPDF AMENDMENT BILL, SAYS CLEAN POLITICS AND PEACE HAVE TRANSFORMED UGANDA

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has congratulated members of Parliament for passing the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, 2025. “I want to congratulate the Members of Parliament for passing the UPDF Amendment Bill. There was going to be a serious problem because some people were saying if a soldier does commit a crime such as killing a person, involving in theft or rapes a woman, they should be taken to the sub county (civilian courts) instead of the court martial. Those who were involved have to repent. There was going to be a serious collision between the army, parliament, and the courts of law, but they have saved us the embarrassment,” President Museveni said. The President, who is in the greater Luwero on the performance assessment tour on the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other wealth creation programs, made the remarks on Wednesday, 21st May 2025, while addressing a leaders’ meeting at Timnah Nursery and Primary school in Mabaale village, Luwero district. Parliament on 20th May, 2025, passed the UPDF Amendment Bill, which expands military courts’ authority to try civilians under specific conditions, such as possession of military equipment or collaboration with military personnel in serious crimes like treason or murder. “When we came from the bush, we decided that even the person who is not a soldier and decides to use a gun to perform a crime, we are going to charge them in the army courts,” the President emphasized, adding that it’s because of this strong resolve, and practicing what he termed as clean politics since 1986 that Uganda has remained peaceful and now focused on wealth creation. “We told you that among the main pillars of development are peace in the country because, as you hear, many countries around us are rich in minerals and oil, but they don’t have peace, and many of their people are here in Uganda as refugees. We now have 1,800,000 people as refugees here in Uganda,” he noted. He further emphasized that it’s only the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that is rooted in tenets of unity and national integration rather than sectarianism through the four principles of Patriotism, Pan Africanism, social-economic transformation, and democracy. President Museveni urged the citizens to understand prioritization in public administration by knowing what is crucial and immediate, adding that, whereas development is needed, wealth creation should come first, through commercial agriculture, services, ICT, and Manufacturing. He warned against land fragmentation describing it as a hindrance to wealth creation. “I had my neighbor in Kisozi. He was a very rich man with four square miles of land and 500 cows. When he died, the children just divided, and that huge estate disappeared. And some of the children sold their share. So, this is very dangerous. If that happens to every generation, what will happen to the remaining families?” President Museveni wondered, adding that the modern way is to divide and still use the land collectively and share profits. He gave an example of Hajjat Mariam Baiga's family in Ssekamuli, Bamunanika, which has succeeded in collective investment. He reminded the people about his proposal of the seven activities in the 1996 NRM Manifesto of intensive agriculture for those with 4 acres or less, and those with bigger land to practice extensive agriculture. “I proposed one acre for coffee, another acre for fruits (mangoes, oranges, or pineapples), grass for livestock in the third acre, and the fourth acre for food crops (bananas, cassava, etc). In the backyard, you can put piggery or poultry. Those near the swamps can engage in fish farming. This was our message in the 1996 manifesto. You can hear that the few who have listened to us are doing well,” President Museveni said, adding that crops such as cocoa and palm oil can also yield well in one acre. Other items such as cotton, tea, sugar cane, and maize, he said, require larger pieces of land. President Museveni said if the Shs100 million PDM support per parish is well managed, Ugandans will have their own Parish Banks worth 1.8 billion in 10 years but was quick to warn those mismanaging the funds by giving selectively to family members and friends. The NRM Vice National Chairman for the Central Region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi appreciated President Museveni for transforming Uganda through wealth creation activities, emphasizing coffee, which has transformed the Buganda region and Uganda at large. Presenting the scorecard in NRM’s performance in Greater Luwero, the party Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong said in 2016 Luwero district gave the NRM party 55.7% of the votes. Nakasongola 84%, and Nakaseke 76%, while in 2021 something happened and the support dropped from 55% in Luwero to 27%, from 84% to 65% in Nakasongola, and eventually from 76% to 53% in Nakaseke. “The question is, why? You are the leaders. You are the middlemen between the President and the people. We see no problem with the people, but the problem could be with us, the leaders, and we are here with our mentor to unpack the challenges we face with the people we lead,” Todwong said. Rt. Hon. Todwong thanked President Museveni for donating the Shs 300 million to the party that he received as a court award from Monitor newspaper. He said the party Secretariat has allocated it to Luwero district to construct a party office. “I'm happy to report that the process is ongoing, and very soon, we shall launch our party office in Luwero,” he added. The PDM performance in Greater Luwero: The National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, Hon. Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, revealed that in the four years, Shs 62 billion has been distributed among the 240 PDM SACCOs established in greater Luwero. Hon. Galabuzi noted that Luwero district has the highest number of Saccos (101), followed by Nakaseke (71), and Nakasongola (68). He added that a total of 65,414 beneficiaries have received the PDM funds in 65,000 households, with Luwero leading with 28,000 beneficiaries. Of these, 20,000 beneficiaries-33% are into crops, followed by livestock (cows, pigs, goats) at 26%, with 7,000 households specifically into piggery. “I congratulate you because you have performed well and distributed this money among the beneficiaries, up to 99.9% compared to other parts of the country. Thank you very much,” Hon. Galabuzi said, adding that 51% of the beneficiaries in greater Luwero are women, mostly from Luwero. He noted that most of them are located in the town councils of Luwero, Nakaseke, and Nakasongola. In other statistics, Hon. Galabuzi highlighted that 62% of the beneficiaries are between 31-69 years, those above 60 years are 12%, but was quick to add that the youths in greater Luwero are performing poorly at 26% coverage compared to the national statistics of 38%. “This is unique because we understand that due to unemployment, the youths are among the most affected by poverty. We need to find out why the youths in Greater Luwero are not active in PDM and get collective solutions,” Hon. Galabuzi added. Hon. Galabuzi acknowledged the challenge of inadequate agricultural extension workers compared to the increased demand, which is being solved by the established regional PDM facilitators to coordinate the program. Other challenges to address include intermittent electricity and a lack of water for production in the dry season. To date, a total amount of Shs3.2 trillion has been released to all 10,717 parishes in Uganda. Presenting on the performance of Emyooga program, the Minister of State for Microfinance, Hon. Haruna Kasolo, highlighted that the biggest problem emerging is the parish Sacco leaders who are selective in the distribution of PDM and Emyooga funds; those borrowing the money are not willing to return it. “We are going to force you to return this money. It is not returning to the government but in your Parish Saccos for others to also benefit,” Hon. Kasolo said. Hon. Ephraim Kamuntu, a Senior Presidential Advisor-Economic and Manifesto Implementation, also presented on the role of Musevenomics in Uganda's social and economic transformation and middle-income country. “Since the establishment of Uganda in 1894, this is the first time that Uganda has become a middle-income country, and it has done so in NRM’s time under Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s leadership,” Hon. Kamuntu said, adding that the driving force has been Musevenomics, which is an expression that has recently emerged to describe President Museveni’s scientific approach to understanding how an economy moves through transformative stages, including the Primary production stage, basically peasant and subsistence-based, and the second stage being the secondary production stage, where manufacturing is introduced. The third is the tertiary service stage, where the service sector becomes dominant in its GDP contribution (hotels, tourism, transport), and the fourth stage is the knowledge-based stage, evidenced by the contribution of science and ICT innovation. He added that using these frameworks, Musevenomics examines the evolution of Uganda’s economy before the British came, the 68 years of British administration in this country, the first 10 years after independence, and the performance of Uganda’s economy under the National Resistance Movement since 1986. The Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, Hon. Evelyn Anite, informed the meeting about the theme of the President's countrywide tour, which is “securing your future through wealth creation,” with a mission to get all Ugandans out of poverty. “Ladies and gentlemen, standing at the stairs of parliament in 1986 at his swearing in, the President promised Ugandans nothing but fundamental change. And indeed, we are witnessing a fundamental change, and we are in the place where the revolution started,” Hon. Anite said. Earlier, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, also presented on the status of land ownership and related issues, mainly about the relationship between squatters and landlords, highlighting the 2022 presidential executive order to all RDCs aimed at protecting squatters from unlawful eviction by the landlords. She asked leaders to make use of the Ministry’s zonal offices and the digital platforms to ascertain the authenticity of land. The meeting was attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, NRM leaders, among others.

2025-05-21

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PRESIDENT MUSEVENI KICKS OFF PDM TOUR IN GREATER LUWERO, CALLS FOR A WORKING POLICE SYSTEM

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon the Uganda Police to operationalize the new policing system of deploying 18 police officers per sub-county across the country, along with one motorcycle and sniffer dogs, as part of the efforts to enhance security and improve rapid response to criminal activities. According to the President, the guidance emphasizes a more decentralized and proactive approach to law enforcement, especially in rural areas where police presence has traditionally been minimal or slow to respond. “This theft is a nuisance, and it must stop. The things to stop it are there, but they are not used. They (police) must mobilize and sensitize the people to handle the crime scenes,” President Museveni said. President Museveni made the remarks on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025, as he began his Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tour in the Greater Luwero sub-region districts of Luwero, Nakasongola, and Nakaseke, where theft was highlighted as one of the hindrances to the success of the PDM program. “I think what I guided is not followed. If there is an officer on duty all the time, and anything happens, you ring them, and they come. In case they (thieves) walk and later board cars, we have cameras on the roads, and we can see which vehicles are moving in that area at that time,” the President noted, adding that, in his view, scattering police officers everywhere might not help as much. “To protect all Ugandans, we only need speed, a communication system, and sniffer dogs to follow up the thieves,” he added. During the continuation of his national Presidential tour to evaluate the progress and impact of the government’s flagship poverty alleviation program, the president visited several farmers, including Hajjat Mariam Bayega, a PDM beneficiary in Sekamuli parish, Bamunanika sub-county, Luwero District. “I'm happy to be here in the home of Hajjat Mariam Bayega. I have seen the chicken, the cows, the coffee, the matooke, and everything they do here. What they’re doing here is very good, and I congratulate them on the good work they have started,” President Museveni said after a guided tour of the wealth creation activities at Hajjat Bayega’s home. The President gave Hajjat Bayega Shs 12 million to buy two cows for milk production, a four-wheel double-cabin vehicle to aid transportation, and a solar-powered water system. “I want her to begin irrigation, and we will see the benefits. I will send you a solar-powered system,” he emphasized. President Museveni also emphasized that the PDM is central to the National Resistance Movement government's strategy for wealth creation at the grassroots level, aiming to integrate all Ugandans into the money economy. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every Ugandan is actively involved in their socio-economic transformation,” stated President Museveni. Highlighting the distinction between wealth creation and overall development, the President urged the people of Greater Luwero to recognize that while wealth creation requires individual motivation and undertaking, development is a responsibility of the government. Hajjat Bayega informed President Museveni that the family earns approximately Shs 37 million per year as profits from coffee, cocoa, poultry, and selling milk, highlighting insecurity as a major challenge after the relocation of the police station from Ssekanyonyi. The President also gave Shs 1 million shillings to each of the 10 PDM beneficiaries in Sekamuli parish who had gathered to listen to his wealth creation message. He also donated Shs 5 million to rehabilitate the village mosque and Shs 5 million to the Anglican bishop of Luwero. Earlier in Wobulenzi, President Museveni visited Nakayenga Damalie, a PDM beneficiary involved in poultry with over 400 chickens and five (5) pigs, all as a result of the Shs 1 million PDM funds. In a show of support for Ms. Nakayenga's continued growth and success, President Museveni donated a total of Shs 30 million; this includes Shs 20 million toward her project and an additional Shs 10 million to enhance her poultry farm structures. Ms. Nakayenga, expressing her gratitude, acknowledged the government's role in empowering citizens through the Parish Development Model. She praised the PDM for providing affordable financing options, particularly with its competitive interest rate of only 6% per annum, allowing beneficiaries to revive socio-economic integration at the grassroots level. As of May 6th, 2025, a total of Shs 61.716 billion had been allocated to the 240 PDM SACCOs across the 3 districts in Greater Luwero, with Luwero receiving the highest amount (Shs 25.972 billion), followed by Nakaseke (Shs 18.257 billion), and the least being Nakasongola (UGX 17.486 billion) due to its fewer parishes. According to the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) population census, Greater Luwero has a total population of 1,093,714 people, settled in 8 constituencies, 48 sub-counties (including divisions and town councils), 241 parishes, and 1,428 villages. On the other hand, in response to concerns raised by the local community regarding market vendors operating in wetland areas, President Museveni directed the relocation of the Kikoma roadside market, Wobulenzi Town Council. He committed to purchasing land for the new market site and tasked the NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja with overseeing the implementation of this plan. President Museveni’s visit to the Greater Luwero underscores his commitment to promoting economic empowerment and sustainable development for the people of Uganda. By fostering community engagement and providing essential resources, the NRM government aims to elevate the socioeconomic status of all Ugandans.

2025-05-20

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PRESIDENT MUSEVENI RALLIES KITAGWENDA RESIDENTS ON HOMESTEAD INCOME AND FREE EDUCATION IN UPE AND USE SCHOOLS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, yesterday addressed a rally at Kichwamba Secondary School in Kitagwenda District, thanking residents for their cooperation in maintaining peace and rejecting rebel activities. He credited the prevailing peace to the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s politics of interest rather than identity, its commitment to women’s emancipation, and non-discrimination based on religion or tribe. The President highlighted that while infrastructure like tarmac roads and electricity are important, they cannot uplift individuals without a source of income. He stressed that the government’s current priority is to boost homestead income, arguing that financial stability begins at household level. President Museveni assured citizens that even those with small land holdings can succeed, citing Richard Nyakana from Fort Portal, who runs a thriving one-acre farm. He outlined the Parish Development Model (PDM) as a key initiative to support poor Ugandans lacking startup capital. Under the PDM, each parish receives Shs 100 million annually, and beneficiaries can borrow Shs 1 million at a 6% interest rate repayable in over two years. He insisted the money belongs to the people and will never return to government coffers, urging locals to report any officials misappropriating the funds. President Museveni reiterated his commitment to free education in both primary and secondary government schools, revealing plans to invest more in recruiting teachers and building classrooms. He announced the donation of buses to Kichwamba Secondary School and Humura Secondary School and contributed Shs 60 million towards the construction of Kitagwenda Mosque. Local leaders, including Kitagwenda Woman MP, Hon. Nyakato Dorothy and Kitagwenda County MP, Hon. Nulu Byamukama, thanked the President for creating Kitagwenda District and for initiating the PDM initiative. Hon. Byamukama also appealed to the President to tarmac roads in the district to ease coffee transportation to markets.

2025-05-19