PRESIDENT MUSEVENI UNVEILS INDIVIDUALIZED WATER PLAN FOR WEALTH CREATORS IN KARAMOJA, PLEDGES MORE ROADS, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has unveiled a new government initiative to establish individualized water systems aimed at supporting commercial farmers and small-scale producers, as part of a broader effort to eradicate poverty through wealth creation and self-sufficiency. Addressing thousands of supporters during a campaign rally at Kalas Girls Primary School in Amudat District, Karamoja Sub-region, on Tuesday 28th October, 2025, H.E. Museveni said the government was developing a plan to ensure every productive household has access to reliable water for production, a move he said would mark a turning point in Uganda’s rural transformation strategy. “We are working out a plan for water for rural areas. Apart from the valley dams, people need water at each home,” President Museveni said. “The communal water systems will not address their water problem. We are trying to analyze how we can provide individualized water for wealth creators. In the Ankole area, we no longer use those communal dams. If you come to Rwakitura, you will see I have three of my own dams because animals, when they go too far, they get diseases like ticks,” he added. The new policy seeks to end decades of dependency on shared water facilities in semi-arid regions like Karamoja, where boreholes and valley dams are often overstretched or dry up during prolonged droughts. “Borehole water is still very low at 18%. The Minister of Karamoja must find out what the problem is, because in other districts like Abim and Karenga, the percentage is much higher,” President Museveni said. Government data indicates that only 18% of Amudat District’s 415 villages currently have access to safe water, leaving 81.7% without a clean source. Of the existing water-for-production infrastructure, one solar-powered irrigation system has been completed at Katotin, 12 valley tanks have been constructed, and two wind-powered abstraction systems have been installed. Major recent projects include the Kosike Valley Dam, with a capacity of 2.7 billion litres, and the Kaechom Valley Dam, which holds 1.8 billion litres. Ongoing projects include additional solar-powered irrigation systems and a large valley tank under construction. The Lowoyakur Dam, shared with Nakapiripirit, will hold 1.4 billion litres of water once completed. Peace as the foundation of development: Throughout his address, President Museveni emphasized that peace, the first of seven core achievements highlighted in the NRM’s 2026–2031 manifesto, remains the cornerstone of Uganda’s development. “If you want to know that miracles are possible in Africa, come to Karamoja and come to Amudat. I thank God for making me somehow connected to that miracle,” President Museveni said, while revisiting Uganda’s turbulent past. He explained how the National Resistance Movement (NRM) restored peace and national unity after decades of instability, where, before 1986, Uganda’s electoral and administrative systems were poorly aligned, leading to marginalization in areas like Karamoja. “Before the coming into power of NRM, there were no permanent constituencies. They would just make ad hoc constituencies to favor certain parties. In 1989, we decided that each constituency must be equal to a county. At that time, there were 149 counties in the whole of Uganda, and something called Upe was one of them with a population of only 20,000. Some of the counties in the south, like Bukoto, had 360,000 people. But we said that for now, let’s start with the counties, and that’s how Upe became a constituency,” President Museveni said. He highlighted Amudat’s recognition as a district stemming from the government’s respect for cultural and linguistic diversity. “These people are Pokot, and their language is different from Karamojong. Let them have their district and speak their Pokot language there. When I come today and see that the population of Amudat has grown to 203,000, I say this is a miracle,” President Museveni said. Disarmament and border security: President Museveni credited Uganda’s peace to firm decisions such as the disarmament of Karamojong warriors in the early 2000s. He dismissed arguments that communities in Karamoja and neighboring Turkana, Pokot, or Toposa areas should be allowed to keep guns to “balance terror.” “Some said if Karamojong and Turkana both stay with guns, they will stabilize by killing each other. But why have a government if people must protect themselves?” he asked. “And this was a false argument because, like in West Nile, there’s peace, despite the wars in South Sudan and Congo, West Nile is peaceful. Even Kasese and Bundibugyo are peaceful, yet there are wars in Eastern DRC. So, that’s when I insisted that you bring the guns; I will protect you against the Pokot of Kenya, Turkana of Kenya, and others,” President Museveni added, noting that when the Turkana killed three people, including surveyors, he banned them from grazing in Uganda. President Museveni said he had since raised the issue with Kenya’s President William Ruto, demanding that the Kenyan government compensate the victims’ families. “I could not accept this impunity of criminality. I told President Ruto that if these criminals don’t have money, the Kenyan government must pay. I will perform a ceremony in Karamoja here with President Ruto for the Kenyan government to pay for the lives of our officers who died,” President Museveni said, adding that the ceremony will also attract elders to cleanse the blood of the people who died, and the bishops and the sheikhs will also come in and contribute spiritually. Turning to infrastructure, President Museveni vowed to ensure all major roads in Karamoja remain passable year-round. “I have warned the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Local Government that I don’t want to hear of a major road that is impassable. It may not be tarmac, but it must be motorable all the time,” he said. Recent road achievements in Karamoja include 180.4 km of newly paved roads, such as Nadunget–Iriiri (65.6 km), Kokeris–Matany (5.5 km), Namalu–Nakapiripirit (17 km), and Akisim–Moroto–Lokitanyala (92.3 km). Currently under construction are the Moroto–Lokitanyala (42 km) and Muyembe–Nakapiripirit (92 km) roads. Several other routes are under procurement, including Kaabong–Kapedo–Karenga (67 km) and Kotido–Kaabong (64 km), while the Moroto–Tochi–Atiang–Opit–Awo (94 km) and Kotido–Abim–Aloi–Lira (99 km) roads are under design. President Museveni said the government would also tarmac the Nakapiripirit–Amudat road, a key artery for trade and connectivity in the region. President Museveni reaffirmed the NRM government’s commitment to universal access to education, saying the ultimate goal is to ensure one primary school per parish and one secondary school per sub-county. Currently, Amudat District has 27 government primary schools, 8 private primary schools, 2 government secondary schools, and 1 private secondary school. Out of 44 parishes, only 11 host at least one government primary school. However, three new Seed Secondary Schools are under construction, which will reduce the number of sub-counties without a government secondary school from 9 to 6. The President said he intends to abolish the practice of charging fees in government schools, calling it an injustice against poor families. “When we introduced UPE in 1996, we wanted children to study for free. But school managers started bringing money again,” he said, adding that in the coming government, he would like to stop the charging of fees in government schools. In the health sector, President Museveni noted that Amudat District currently has one Health Centre IV and three Health Centre IIIs, leaving seven sub-counties without any health facility. To close this gap, the government plans to upgrade and construct several facilities, including: Upgrading Karita HCIV to a General Hospital, upgrading Abilyep HCII, Achorichor HCII, Amudat HCII, Cheptapoyo HCII, and Lokales HCII to HCIIIs and constructing new HCIIIs in Karita and Kongoro sub-counties. Ongoing works include the upgrading of Katabok HCII to HCIII, Karita HCIII to HCIV, and the construction of an operating theatre at Amudat General Hospital. President Museveni used the rally to reinforce his message of wealth creation, urging residents to use the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other government programs to lift themselves out of poverty. He played video testimonials of beneficiaries who have prospered under the PDM, including: George Matongo, a livestock farmer in Ngoma; Dick Korea Ogila, a mango farmer from Abim earning over Shs6 million per harvest; Amos Losengole, a goat farmer from Amudat who invested his Shs1 million PDM fund wisely; and Emmanuel Lokong, a piggery farmer from Nakapiripirit. President Museveni said the government would soon provide vehicles to cooperatives to help farmers transport goods to urban markets. Amudat District has so far received Shs13.49 billion under the PDM, of which Shs13.1 billion (97.2%) has been disbursed to 12,118 households, about 28.6% of the district’s 42,310 households. “We shall support cooperatives with group transport to access Kampala markets,” H.E. Museveni pledged. President Museveni told residents that Uganda’s transformation from instability to peace and development over the last 40 years is a testament to the NRM’s resilience. “Now we have peace not only in Karamoja but also in Acholi, West Nile, the Rwenzori, and Kisoro. There’s peace everywhere,” he said. He urged voters to defend the gains made under the NRM government by ensuring continued support for the party in the upcoming 2026 elections. “If anybody asks you why you support NRM, tell them that in our manifesto of 2026–2031, peace is our first contribution. It is the foundation upon which everything else stands,” President Museveni said. First Lady Janet Museveni calls for 100% NRM vote: The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, also addressed the rally, commending the people of Amudat and Karamoja for their steadfast support of the NRM. “The NRM government is your government. It has worked so hard to make sure that Karamoja is peaceful, like any other part of Uganda. Please make it a responsibility to make sure that everybody votes for NRM so that we protect the gains so far and take a qualitative leap into the middle-income status for the whole of Karamoja and Uganda,” The First Lady said, adding that this would enable all the programs in the pipeline to be implemented in the next term of office. “Therefore, I trust that even this time, you’ll make sure that Amudat will vote 100% for the President and the whole lineup of NRM flagbearers,” she added. Amudat District, with a population of 203,358 people, had 43,647 registered voters in the 2021 elections. Of these, 31,453 (72.1%) voted, and President Museveni secured 30,451 votes (97.6%), while the National Unity Platform (NUP) polled 625 votes (2%). As of 2025, registered voters in the district have risen to 58,203, and the number of polling stations has increased from 120 to 164. The event was also addressed by several senior leaders, including Speaker of Parliament and Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, NRM Vice Chairperson for Karamoja, Hon. John Baptist Loki, and NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, who urged residents to maintain their loyalty to the ruling party and consolidate the progress achieved under President Museveni’s leadership.

2025-11-28

PRESIDENTS MUSEVENI AND RUTO BREAK GROUND FOR USD 500 MILLION DEVKI MEGA STEEL PLANT, PLEDGE INDUSTRIAL LIBERATION FOR AFRICA

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Samoei Ruto today presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of USD 500 million Devki Mega Steel Plant in Kayoro Village, Osukuru County, Tororo District, marking the start of one of East Africa’s most ambitious industrial investments. The vertically integrated steel facility, developed by Kenyan industrialist Dr. Narendra Raval (Guru) of the Devki Group, will employ 15,000 Ugandans in Tororo and Mbarara at commencement. Dr. Raval emphasized that the majority of these jobs will come from the integrated steel operations and related activities supported by investments already made in Tororo, Mbarara, and the upcoming Kabale Iron Ore refinery. President Museveni placed the event within Africa’s broader historical struggle, noting that the continent has endured centuries of exploitation and economic injustice. He said that for over 500 years, Africa has been losing value through the slave trade, colonial systems, and modern economic practices that extract raw materials without adding value. “Today, with the groundbreaking ceremony of the Devki Mega Steel project in Tororo, alongside H.E President William Ruto of Kenya, we are in the process of liberating Africa,” President Museveni said. He also emphasized that this liberation involves stopping the long-standing trend of exporting African minerals and jobs. “At full operationalization, we shall be one step closer to reversing the squandering of Africa’s resources—human, mineral, jobs, and foreign exchange,” he added. The President thanked H.E Ruto for encouraging Dr. Raval to set up in Uganda, acknowledging Kenya’s recognition that Uganda is a natural source of key raw materials and that regional collaboration is essential for collective prosperity. He congratulated Dr. Raval for investing heavily in Uganda and urged full production of steel sheets and other intermediate products locally so that Uganda keeps value within its borders. President Museveni further revealed that Dr. Raval will also start another major iron ore project in Kabale that will create more than 16,000 jobs, expanding industrial opportunities across the country. He cautioned Ugandans against frustrating investors with compensation disputes and assured that the government would handle necessary payments. “The man is going to invest USD 500 million here, so please don’t bother him about money for compensation. The government will handle that,” he said. President Museveni warned that Uganda loses an estimated USD 5 billion each year through imports that could instead be manufactured domestically. He described Uganda’s current road-based cargo system as “irrational,” welcoming the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway towards Tororo, which he said would support large industries like Devki and lower transport costs. “What is happening here shows you that the future is bright, and the rest will come,” he said. President Ruto said the ceremony was more than the start of a factory; it marked a bold new chapter in Africa’s industrialization and the strengthening of regional value chains. He paid tribute to President Museveni for his long-standing commitment to industrial development and commended the cooperation that brought the Tororo investment to fruition. President Ruto emphasized that the steel plant will generate employment for the youth, support regional supply chains, and anchor East Africa’s self-sufficiency. “We convene here not just to commission a factory, but to usher in a new, audacious chapter in Africa’s industrialization ambitions,” he said. He also praised President Museveni for championing regional integration within the East African Community (EAC), saying the environment of cooperation across the region is what enables projects like Devki Steel to succeed. He noted that the Tororo plant will grow to 20,000 employees across East Africa by 2027 and highlighted Africa’s rising steel demand, projected to increase from 39.5 million tonnes in 2024 to 52 million tonnes by 2034. He said Kenya will, in January, launch the next phase of the Standard Gauge Railway from Mombasa to Naivasha and from Rironi to Malaba, eventually extending to Tororo to support large-scale manufacturing. Dr. Raval, Chairman of Devki Group, thanked President Museveni for guiding the project and insisting that it be built in Tororo to create jobs for the people of the region. He pledged that 90 percent of the factory’s workforce will be Ugandans. “At this juncture, I would like to promise the Tororo community that whatever employment will be in the factory, 90% of the jobs will be allocated to Tororo and the surrounding communities only.” He also stressed that industrialization is the only path to prosperity. “Importing steel is importing poverty,” he said. “We must produce here, create jobs here, and empower the youth.” He also praised President Ruto for stabilizing Kenya’s economy and curbing inflation, saying such reforms have created a conducive environment for regional investors. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga said the Mega Steel Project is an important milestone for East Africa and evidence of deepening regional industrial integration. The Energy Minister, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa described the groundbreaking as a landmark and historic event in Uganda’s industrialization journey. She said the project aligns with the government’s commitment to expanding industrial capacity and emphasized that once completed, the factory must deliver tangible social and economic benefits for communities across the region. Hon. Nankabirwa also thanked President Ruto for his support toward the project and praised the collaboration that made the investment possible.

2025-11-23

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI WOOS IGANGA AS HE RECOUNTS LIBERATION STRUGGLE

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Friday 21st November 2025, delivered one of his most personal and historically reflective campaign speeches as he held his second-last rally in the Busoga sub-region. Addressing thousands of supporters who filled the Iganga District Headquarters grounds, President Museveni intertwined wartime memories with an extensive review of the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s achievements over the last four decades. He asked Ugandans to judge the party based on what he called its “seven pillars” of contribution to Uganda: peace, development, wealth creation, jobs, education, infrastructure, and social services. The NRM presidential flagbearer narrated his clandestine operations in Iganga during the 1970s, recalling how he secretly entered the district with 12 machine guns ferried from Tanzania and passed through Kenya before reaching the Iganga railway station. His recollection of hiding the weapons in a small lodge - whose ownership he challenged locals to research- set the pace for his campaign message. “I thank God because many of these areas were our fighting zones,” President Museveni said. “In 1971 and 1972, this was a very small place. The town used to start where the police station is, and there were only a few buildings. There was a new lodge on the side of Busesa. I remember arriving with 12 machine guns and storing them in that small lodge while waiting for nightfall to enter Kampala safely,” he further narrated. The President described how he spent a full day pretending to be a passenger at the car park, boarding a truck to Namasagali simply to avoid arousing suspicion. “After washing and having breakfast, I locked my room and went to the car park. They were announcing destinations, and I listened for the furthest—Namasagali. I traveled there just to kill time before returning around 5 pm and then proceeding to Kampala at night with my guns,” he recalled. President Museveni said such memories make his presence in Busoga deeply emotional, especially when he sees residents celebrating peacefully—something he attributed directly to the NRM’s legacy. “So, when I'm here during the day, enjoying with my people who are celebrating, I thank God,” Candidate Museveni stated, reminding supporters that Uganda’s stability was hard-won. Gen. Museveni placed peace at the top of NRM’s contributions since 1986. He listed insurgencies such as Alice Lakwena’s Holy Spirit Movement and others that destabilized parts of the country in the late 1980s and early 1990s. “Even after 1986, there were still wars and instability. But now there is total peace in Uganda. Who has brought that? It is the NRM. Nobody else,” he explained. He urged supporters to compare Uganda’s past turmoil with today’s peace and security, arguing that peace is the cornerstone upon which the rest of the country’s progress has been built. The President said the NRM’s second major contribution has been the building of development infrastructure—both economic and social—which he defined in two categories: economic and social development. President Museveni pointed to several key roads in Busoga and Eastern Uganda that have been constructed or rehabilitated under NRM’s tenure, including the Kampala–Malaba Highway, which he said has been repaired multiple times, Nakalama–Tirinyi–Pallisa–Mbale Road, a significant commercial route, and Iganga–Kaliro Road, which serves major agricultural zones. He reassured residents that the long-awaited Iganga–Buloopa–Kamuli Road is now fully funded. “The money is there,” he declared. On water coverage, President Museveni revealed that Iganga District’s rural safe water coverage now stands at 77%, with 178 out of 231 villages accessing safe water. Only 22.9% of the villages remain without reliable water sources. The President said that when NRM assumed power, electricity barely extended beyond Mbale. “The plan then was to extend power to all districts, and that has been achieved across Uganda except Buvuma,” he said. In Iganga specifically, all 11 sub-counties have been connected to the national grid, though he said two sub-counties still require additional support. The next step, he added, is taking electricity to the parish and village levels. Regarding schools and education infrastructure, President Museveni gave a detailed assessment of education facilities in Iganga which includes 99 government primary schools in 42 parishes, though 11 still have no government primary school, which he blamed on poor distribution by district officials. “You have more schools than parishes, yet some parishes do not have a government primary school. Why don’t you start by ensuring each parish gets one before adding more in already-served parishes?” he questioned. On secondary education, President Museveni noted that Iganga has 9 government secondary schools and more new secondary schools are being constructed, which will leave only one sub-county in Iganga without a government secondary school once complete. On health infrastructure, President Museveni noted that Iganga has one hospital, one Health Centre IV, ten Health Centre IIIs, while one sub-county still lacks any health facility. “We plan to upgrade Naibiri Health Centre II to a Health Centre III to close the gap,” he said. Wealth creation: The President expressed concern that many Ugandans still confuse development—such as roads, electricity, and infrastructure—with wealth, which he said must be generated at the household level. He used a familiar Busoga proverb - “Akange kakira akaife” to explain his point. “The tarmac road is ours, but wealth and poverty are yours personally,” he told the crowd. “You may leave a rally like this one and find poverty waiting for you at home.” President Museveni said that this misunderstanding is the reason the NRM, as early as the 1996 manifesto, promoted the “4-acre model,” where small landholders allocate one acre to coffee, another to fruits, a third to pasture for dairy, and a fourth to food crops, complemented by backyard enterprises such as poultry, piggery, or fish farming. He cited success stories from across Uganda to demonstrate the effectiveness of NRM’s approach, and highlighted two model farmers: George Matongo of Nakaseke, who built a profitable dairy enterprise without tarmac roads or electricity, and Johnson Basangwa of Kamuli, who earns approximately 600 million shillings per month from poultry farming and now employs 300 workers. “These examples show that you can become wealthy even without tarmac or electricity,” the President said. “The medicine we told you in 1996 is correct.” The President contrasted intensive farming with extensive farming, which involves crops like sugarcane, maize, cotton, tobacco, or large-scale livestock that require vast land. “Sugarcane can earn you about 3.6 to 4 million shillings per acre per year. But Basangwa earns 7.2 billion shillings a year from poultry on 27 acres,” he noted, underscoring the advantage of high-value, intensive enterprises. President Museveni defended both the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). He said the real challenge is not the programs themselves, but the decisions households make with the money. “You have seen people from Karamoja who rose out of poverty through OWC. The program was across the whole country, but results depend on what individuals choose to do with the support,” he argued. He emphasized job creation as another major NRM achievement, citing Sino-Mbale Industrial Park, home to 75 factories employing 12,000 people, and Namanve Industrial Park, with 273 factories employing 44,000 people. “Altogether, the factories are employing 1.3 million Ugandans. The government jobs are 480,000, meaning the factory jobs are three times more than those in the government, and yet the factories are still coming up,” President Museveni stated. President Museveni also continued to criticize government school administrators for illegally charging fees, arguing that such practices undermine universal education. “That is why I started skilling hubs,” he explained. “Children are dropping out because of fees, yet after six months of training, they can make shoes, furniture, liquid soap, and clothes, things we were importing.” He praised the Presidential Skilling hub in Nakabango,Jinja, for transforming young people’s lives. During the rally, he listened to testimonies from youths such as Takwana Edris, who acquired construction skills at the same center, and Sharifa Nakato, who left school in P.6 but later trained in hairdressing and received 10 million shillings to start her own salon. She now employs 10 people. On the other hand, President Museveni urged NRM supporters to clearly articulate the party’s historical and ongoing contributions when seeking votes. “You must be clear about these contributions - peace, development, wealth creation, jobs, and the rest,” he said. “People talk about many things and get disoriented. Tell them the seven contributions. The NRM knows how to diagnose problems and find solutions,” he added. At the same event, NRM’s First National Vice Chairperson, Alhajji Moses Kigongo, rallied Busoga leaders and supporters to unite behind President Museveni. “This is the time to ask for votes for President Museveni and all NRM leaders. Unity and discipline will win us overwhelming support,” he said. The NRM Vice-Chairperson for Eastern Region, Mr. Calvin Echodu thanked President Museveni for completing the Busoga tour and educating the public about NRM’s seven contributions. “The people of Eastern Uganda have embraced your message,” he said. First Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga welcomed President Museveni and told him that Iganga hospital urgently needs upgrading into a regional referral facility due to the growing population and the hospital’s position along a major highway. “The NRM candidate is the only one capable of delivering what Busoga needs,” she said, urging residents to vote in big numbers. Iganga District NRM chairperson, Mr. Walubi Abubakar thanked the President for programs like PDM, detailing how Iganga District has received Shs 12.956 billion, all disbursed to 12,956 households, adding that Iganga Municipality received Shs 3.38 billion, benefiting 3,387 households. In total, 16,343 households have benefited from PDM. He also listed other government program beneficiaries such as the 5,251 youths under the Youth Livelihood Program, the 709 women under the Women’s Fund, and the 9,849 senior citizens under SAGE. Mr. Walubi requested President Museveni to help them fix the non-functional X-ray machine at Iganga Hospital and address the idle oxygen plant, which lacks the necessary three-phase electricity. Other demands included fast-tracking legislation to operationalize Busoga University, and supporting the establishment of an industrial park, with potential land available in Nakalama, Butende, and from a private landowner named Mugoya. The rally attracted prominent national figures, including former Vice President Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe; 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama; Minister of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba; Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda; and several MPs and NRM flagbearers from Busoga.

2025-11-21

JINJA: PRESIDENT MUSEVENI CONCLUDES BUSOGA CAMPAIGN TRAIL, REAFFIRMS NRM’S SEVEN KEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO UGANDA

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has this afternoon held his final campaign rally in the Busoga Sub-region at Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe Ward, Jinja Northern Division. The President told supporters that the 2026–2031 NRM Manifesto is anchored on “strategic and tactical points” that emphasise the party’s seven key contributions over the last 40 years. “The first contribution is peace and security,” he said, recalling that Uganda once suffered from wars and rebel groups. “Rebel leaders like the group of Lakwena had come up to Magamaga, but now there is peace in the whole of Uganda.” On the second contribution— development—the President highlighted both economic and social infrastructure. He cited roads, electricity, and telecommunications as examples of economic infrastructure, noting that in Jinja the government has repeatedly rehabilitated the Tororo–Jinja and Kampala–Jinja roads. “We are also going to do the road from Amber Court, Budondo, Kamuli to Mbulamuti,” he added. He said social infrastructure in Jinja City “is quite good,” with 48 government primary schools and 215 private ones, as well as 10 government secondary schools and 79 private secondary schools. Four of the government-aided secondary schools provide both Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post-O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET). However, the President cautioned that “what you should pay attention to is the distribution of these schools”, pointing out that Jinja Rural has 59 government primary schools across 34 parishes, yet 10 parishes still lack a single government primary school. He urged leaders to ensure balanced distribution. On the third NRM contribution—wealth creation—the President stressed that it must not be confused with development such as roads. “No one sleeps on the road,” he said. “Development is ours, but wealth is mine and my household.” He reiterated the need for homestead incomes and reminded the people of Jinja of his four-acre model, which includes coffee, fruits, pasture for dairy, food crops, and backyard enterprises like poultry, piggery for non-Muslims, and fish farming. President Museveni encouraged urban dwellers to utilise skilling centres established to empower youth in trades like tailoring, welding, bakery and other small-scale enterprises. “Some of you in Jinja are from rural areas, but even those in the city can do poultry farming,” he said. On job creation—the fourth contribution—the President explained that jobs emerge from wealth, especially through commercial agriculture and factories. He urged supporters to confidently defend the NRM record. “When you go back and someone asks you why you support NRM, tell them the seven contributions: peace, development, wealth creation, job creation, service delivery, economic integration, and the East African Federation.” NRM First National Vice Chairman, Alhajji Moses Kigongo, called for unity among party leaders, saying elections will come and go but cohesion is vital. He urged full support for President Museveni and all NRM flagbearers in the upcoming elections. The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga requested the establishment of an industrial park in Busoga, saying land is already available in Budondo. She also appealed for faster commencement of the Jinja Expressway, arguing that traffic on the current Jinja Road “slows down business because of the many cars it takes.” Former Vice President, Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe called for common user facilities to support youth engaged in innovation and requested additional skilling centres to curb high illiteracy levels in the region. The NRM Chairperson for Jinja City, Mr. Edwin Lufafa, thanked the President for the enormous development in Jinja City but noted challenges such as the lack of markets—citing Bugembe Ward, which has none—and the absence of a general hospital, pointing out that Jinja City relies solely on the regional referral hospital. Jinja District NRM Chairperson Mr. Moses Batwala also thanked the President for ongoing government programmes such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, which he said have supported livelihoods across the district. Before the rally, President Museveni officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Busoga Kingdom Headquarters, marking a major milestone in the cultural and administrative strengthening of Obwa Kyabazinga Bwa Busoga. The ceremony took place in Bugembe, Jinja City. The preliminary cost estimate for the construction of the complex is approximately Shs 80 billion. This includes the administration block, commercial blocks, and all external works, complete with installations, fittings and furniture. Additional Shs 50 billion is estimated for the Cultural Village, Museum, TV and Radios Stations, Shopping Center, Recreational Facilities and Infrastructure services including Solid Waste and Sewer Systems, High Voltage Power supply, Water, Internet and ICT Installations.

2025-11-21

KARAMOJA PEACE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY PROJECT

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2025-11-20

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI CALLS FOR STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF ONE GOV’T PRIMARY SCHOOL PER PARISH POLICY

The President directs Presidency Minister on Lakwena victims President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reiterated the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s key contributions to Uganda's socio-economic transformation. “We are here with other leaders to present to you the NRM manifesto for 2026-2031 and in that manifesto we point out to you that in the last 40 years, NRM has made seven (7) contributions to Uganda,” he said. The President, who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, made the remarks today while addressing a campaign rally at Luuka district headquarters. He said the first contribution is peace. “You heard people talking about the Lakwena victims that meant war. You heard that when I was here, much of the time I was in fighting but now all those wars ended. And that's NRM’s first contribution to Uganda,” he noted. The President also directed the Minister for the Presidency to work with the Attorney General to solve the gratuity issue of the Lakwena war victims. “Regarding Lakwena victims, I want to direct the Minister of the Presidency to work with the Attorney General to solve this problem of Lakwena victims,” he said, after being informed by the Luuka District NRM chairperson, Hon. Stephen Kisa that the Minister recently called for a meeting of all the stakeholders and a clean list was submitted to the State House pending his decision on payment. “The task of cleaning the list was done jointly with Brig. Gen. Jacob Asimwe and a total of Shs5bn for the entire region was established,” Hon. Kisa said. On the other hand, President Museveni highlighted that the second contribution of NRM to Uganda is development. “Development has two sides; economic infrastructure which include the roads, electricity, telephones, piped water, railway as well social infrastructure which include schools and health centres and all the plans are here,” he explained. On education, President Museveni said Luuka has 89 government primary schools and seven government secondary schools. “Luuka has seven government secondary schools, yet the sub-counties are 12. So, we still have five with no school. We are building some two new seed schools, which will bring the number of sub-counties without government secondary schools to three,” he said. He however expressed concern over the uneven distribution of government primary schools among the parishes. “You already have 89 government primary schools more than the 64 parishes and the policy of the government is to have one primary school per parish but here in Luuka you still have 26 parishes which don't have a government primary school,” he said. “This means you did not strictly follow the other principle of one government primary school per parish. Please in future be very strict on this one. Don't put more primary schools in one parish before all of them have got.” On health, President Museveni said out of a total of 12 sub-counties in Luuka district, 1 has a HCIV and 8 sub-counties have HCIIIs. The sub counties without a Health facility of HCIIIs and above are three. The President also unveiled plans to upgrade Busalamu HCII to HCIII in Busalamu T/C, Bulaga HCII to HCIII and Kalyowa HCII to HCIII in Kyanvuma TC. On water, President Museveni said out of 305 rural villages in Luuka District, 187 have access to a safe water source, representing coverage of 62 percent. “Now the big project we have here is the roads from Iganga, Bulopa, through here to Kamuli, we are concentrating on this,” he said. The third contribution, the President said, is wealth. “Many people who listened to our wealth creation advice are now quite doing well. Everybody can have wealth wherever he is in Uganda as long as there's peace,” he said. President Museveni said the NRM has been able to guide and support Ugandans to get out of poverty through various programs, with the most recent one being the Parish Development Model (PDM). President Museveni also emphasized the four-acre model, as one of the ways of fighting poverty and creating wealth. He said in this model, one acre is for coffee, another acre for fruits, the third acre for pasture for zero-grazing cows for milk and then the fourth acre for food crops. In the backyard, a farmer can do poultry for eggs, piggery and fish farming for those near the wetlands. “Our calculation was that If you do this, you would be rich even if you have a small piece of land,” he added. President Museveni also advised that those with big pieces of land could do extensive agriculture where they can grow low value crops like sugarcane, tobacco and maize. He said these low value crops, if grown on a large scale, can give you some good money. The fourth contribution is job creation and here the President emphasized that jobs cannot be separated from wealth creation. “The government employs 480,000 people out of a population of 50 million, while factories already employ 1.3 million, three times more than the government,” he said. The President also handed over the NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Luuka District, formally endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections. Maama Janet implored the people of Luuka to vote for President Museveni and other NRM candidates in the forthcoming elections for more development. “For me it gives me a picture of where God has brought us from as a country and I can't stop to thank God for Uganda today and that is why I must say to you that its right and good to vote for NRM so that it can continue to build this country and we can continue to improve so that our people live in a better environment,” she said. The First Lady also reaffirmed the government's commitment to provide free education in government schools. “If that picture is not perfect yet, that's policy, that's where we are driving to,” she said. The NRM First National Vice Chairman, Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo, urged party leaders to prioritise discipline as they seek support from the public. He cautioned against intimidation or foul language. He encouraged leaders to engage communities respectfully, explain what the NRM stands for, and stand firmly behind the President and all NRM flag bearers. The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, highlighted the importance of women’s economic empowerment, noting that Busoga women had not fully benefited from some programmes, including the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW). GROW is a government initiative supported by development partners to increase women’s access to finance, expand their enterprises, improve household incomes, and promote gender equality through grants, savings groups, and mentorship. Rt. Hon. Kadaga said women in Busoga are hardworking and ready to utilise such funds to improve their livelihoods, urging the government to ensure equitable access. She also relayed community requests presented earlier by the district leadership and asked residents to support President Museveni so that these issues can be addressed. Luuka district NRM chairperson, Hon. Stephen Kisa informed the President that Luuka has benefited well from the key government programs and assured him that the district is right behind him and NRM. “Luuka District is benefiting well from UPE and USE. The government has provided capitation grants and recruited staff in these schools,” he said. “However, some of the primary schools will require urgent renovations and facial lift to improve the learning environment.” On behalf of the people of Luuka, Hon. Kisa expressed gratitude to President Museveni for the fulfillment of the government pledge to upgrade and tarmac the Iganga-Luuka-Bulopa-Kamuli road which is a stretch of 56km and costing approximately 368 billion shillings. On the matter of the sugarcane factory, Hon. Kisa thanked President Museveni for starting the process of buying the Mayuge Sugar Factory for the Sugarcane Farmers in Busoga. “Sir, the government bought land in Bukoma Sub-County intended to fulfill the presidential pledge of constructing a sugar factory for the farmers. Sir, in the event that the government is now buying Mayuge Sugar Factory, we request that the Luuka project be turned into a value addition factory to add value to the wastes coming from the Mayuge sugar factory including bagasse for making electricity. Sir, Luuka is one area where power outage is persistent (2-3 days per week throughout the year),” he said. “Secondly, Sir; the sugarcane out-growers request that the funds you promised them to buy fertilizers be deposited directly on their respective SACCOs accounts.” Hon. Kisa also revealed that there is still a challenge with the Presidential directive to the Millers of stopping to charge the 5% waste management fees to the farmers. “On August 6, 2025, you directed on this matter but this has not been effected. Lastly, on this; Sir; the Sugarcane farmers report the challenge of the Sugar Council that has failed to address their needs. The Council is making resolutions and recommendations without inputs of the farmers and which affect the farmers. The Out-growers Association Chairperson is present at this rally, and he can clarify on the matter, if permitted Sir.” Hon. Kisa further reminded the President about the promise to have a palace built for the Chiefdom of Tabingwa. “Your Excellency, Luuka District Administration is hosted by Tabingwa of Luuka. We are indeed using his grounds here. A promise was made to have a palace built for Tabingwa but this has not materialized. The Tabingwa is a unifying factor for Luuka, Busoga and Uganda at large.We are optimistic that this can be handled by you; your Excellency.” Hon. Kisa noted that Luuka district had donated land for the construction of a regional Sports Stadium to enhance talent development in Busoga. He explained that Busoga has produced numerous national football stars. In his response, the President assured that the project will be put into consideration. The event was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, as well as thousands of supporters.

2025-11-20