President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged voters in Mityana District to rally behind the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and elect leaders who understand and support his approach to governance, warning that poor leadership choices have slowed development in some parts of the country.

Addressing a massive campaign rally at Ssaza Grounds in Mityana today, President Museveni said the pace of development in the district has been undermined by leaders who prioritise personal benefits over national development goals. The rally marked the conclusion of his campaign tour in Greater Mubende as he seeks re-election as NRM presidential flagbearer for the 2026 general elections.

“We have always had plans to work on the road from Kanoni–Manyi–Mityana and Ssekanyonyi up to Busunju, and we are going to work on that road. It has been delayed because of the people you send me to represent you,” President Museveni told cheering supporters.

He explained that his leadership philosophy, shaped by his experience as a guerrilla fighter, is rooted in strict prioritisation of essential sectors such as security, infrastructure, health, and education.

According to the President, some legislators have failed to grasp this approach, instead pushing for high administrative costs that divert resources from development projects.

“As a guerrilla, I go by prioritisation,” he said.

Mityana District comprises five constituencies — Busujju County, Mityana North, Mityana South, Mityana Municipality, and the District Woman Member of Parliament. Of these, four are currently represented by opposition legislators from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Democratic Party (DP). Only Mityana North is represented by an NRM legislator, Hon. Nsegumire Muhamadi Kibedi.

President Museveni argued that electing opposition MPs has affected effective follow-up on government programmes, leading to delays in key infrastructure projects.

“These people you send me only come to eat what has been done. They disturb implementation because they want to touch everything. Please send me people who understand my guidance so that work can move faster,” he said.

The President recalled the state of infrastructure in Mityana and the wider Mubende region before the NRM came to power, saying significant progress has been made despite current challenges.

“When we came into government, the tarmac road used to stop in Mityana, and even that road was old. We have redone it twice. Beyond Mityana towards western Uganda, there was no tarmac at all,” President Museveni said.

He revealed that the original road from Mityana to Mubende was constructed with assistance from Yugoslav contractors, who were paid partly in agricultural produce such as soya beans. The road was later extended to Fort Portal and up to the Democratic Republic of Congo border.

Health infrastructure gaps:

On health services, President Museveni acknowledged existing gaps in Mityana District, noting that only one of the district’s 17 sub-counties has a hospital. Three sub-counties have Health Centre IVs, while 14 have Health Centre IIIs. Three sub-counties currently have no health facility at all.

To address these gaps, he announced government plans to upgrade Kasikombe Health Centre II to a Health Centre III in Ssekanyonyi Sub-County. He also pledged to construct new Health Centre IIIs in Banda and Zigoti Town Councils.

“These are the things we must prioritise. Health services are essential for our people,” he said.

Water coverage:

On access to clean water, President Museveni commended Mityana District for achieving relatively high coverage. According to district statistics cited by the President, 528 out of 613 rural villages, about 86 percent, have access to a safe water source, leaving 85 villages without coverage.

“You are doing well on clean water, but we must increase capacity for irrigation so that farmers can get higher yields,” President Museveni said.

To underscore the importance of irrigation, the President showcased a video of Dr. Florence Muranga’s banana plantation in Bushenyi District, where irrigation has enabled yields of up to 53 tonnes of matooke per acre annually, compared to the national average of five tonnes per acre.

“This is what modern agriculture can do. That is why we want irrigation everywhere,” he said.

President Museveni also described peace as the first and most important contribution of the NRM to Uganda’s progress, urging residents to safeguard stability.

“You all know what peace means. Look at what is happening in other African countries. Here, we have peace throughout Uganda, and that is why development is possible,” he said, warning that political indiscipline could jeopardise the stability the country has enjoyed for decades.

Development vs Wealth creation:

The President reiterated his long-standing message distinguishing development from wealth creation, saying the two are often confused.

“Development is for all of us. Wealth creation is personal. It is at the household and individual level,” President Museveni said.

He explained that the government focuses on public goods such as roads, electricity, schools, and health facilities, while citizens must actively engage in income-generating activities to create wealth.

To illustrate, President Museveni revisited the four-acre model introduced in the NRM’s 1996 manifesto, designed for households with limited land. Under the model, one acre is allocated to coffee, another one for food crops, the third one for fruits, and the fourth acre for pasture under zero-grazing, complemented by backyard enterprises such as poultry, piggery, and fish farming.

President Museveni commended Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Kiyemba, the parish priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Busunju, a model farmer who has successfully implemented the four-acre model. Fr. Kiyemba’s farm serves as a demonstration site for other farmers in the area.

“He fits directly in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, who preached, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and also worked with his hands as a carpenter,” the President said.

“We in the NRM don’t just talk. We support you in creating wealth. I want all of us to get out of poverty,” he added.

Jobs:

On employment, President Museveni dismissed claims that jobs are primarily found in government, noting that public service employs only about 480,000 people in a country of over 50 million.

“Jobs are in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, artisanship, services, and ICT,” he said.

He cited Johnson Basangwa, a large-scale poultry farmer whose enterprise employs more than 300 workers and earns an estimated Shs20 million per day from egg sales.

“That wealth has produced jobs. That is the difference between politics and economics,” President Museveni said.

He also highlighted industrial parks such as Namanve, which hosts more than 273 factories employing over 24,000 workers, and the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, which employs about 12,000 people.

At the same rally, NRM First National Vice Chairperson Alhajji Moses Kigongo thanked residents for their continued support but cautioned party members to maintain discipline during the campaign period.

“We need many votes from Mityana, but we must be disciplined. This peace we enjoy was ushered in by the NRM,” Alhajji Kigongo said.

The NRM Vice Chairperson for the Central region, Hon. Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, and the NRM Chairperson for Mityana District, Mr. Kintu John, also addressed the gathering, which was attended by several Cabinet ministers, MPs, NRM Secretariat officials, and party flag bearers at various levels.

After concluding his Greater Mubende tour, the NRM candidate is scheduled to continue his campaign trail in Greater Masaka on Thursday, with rallies planned in Lyantonde and Rakai districts as he seeks a fresh five-year mandate.