The National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Chairman and Presidential Flag Bearer, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has opened his Busoga sub-region campaign programme with a packed rally in Bugiri District on 15th November, using the platform to reaffirm his government’s commitment to expanding education, boosting household incomes, and consolidating national stability.
Addressing thousands of supporters, President Museveni urged the people of Bugiri to maintain their long-standing support for the Movement, saying the NRM’s principled rejection of sectarian politics and its decades-long contribution to peace and national cohesion remain central to Uganda’s progress.
He reminded the gathering of the divisions that once destabilised the country, noting that the NRM’s insistence on unity has been key to sustaining stability. “From the beginning, we rejected sectarianism. Every Ugandan is valuable, and that is why Uganda is peaceful today,” he said.
Museveni outlined the government’s achievements in improving Busoga’s infrastructure, highlighting the reconstruction of key roads such as Jinja–Kampala, Jinja–Tororo, Iganga–Kaliro, and Busita–Namayingo.
He said more priority roads are slated for construction, including Jinja–Kamuli–Mbulamuti, Iganga–Kiyunga–Kamuli, and the Bugiri–Namayingo route, which he described as essential for unlocking economic activity in the region.
Turning to water access, the President explained that Bugiri’s location within the Lake Victoria basin makes boreholes unreliable, and revealed that government is developing a plan to supply piped water directly from the lake, similar to ongoing interventions in Kampala and Lira.
He noted that this approach will provide the district with a sustainable and dependable water source.
On education, the President expressed concern over the uneven distribution of government schools in the district. While Bugiri has 149 government primary schools, 44 of its 102 parishes still lack one.
At secondary level, only 9 out of 20 sub-counties have government secondary schools. Museveni directed NRM district leaders and education authorities to close these gaps, insisting that every parish should have a government primary school and every sub-county a secondary school.
He announced the construction of three new seed secondary schools under the UgIFT and USEEP programmes to address the shortfall.
The NRM Flag Bearer reiterated that while infrastructure is important, wealth creation remains at the core of the Movement’s agenda. He emphasized that prosperity is generated through productive engagement in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT—not merely through government employment.
“Government jobs are only 480,000, yet Ugandans are now 50 million. Real jobs are found in factories, farms, services, and ICT,” he noted, adding that factories alone currently employ over 1.3 million Ugandans.
Museveni revisited the four-acre model introduced in the 1996 manifesto, saying it continues to uplift families across the country, including in rural regions like Karamoja.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting income-generating initiatives through the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and new targeted funds for youth groups, ghetto communities, boda boda riders, unemployed graduates, and religious and cultural institutions.
He also addressed the long-standing challenge of fully implementing free education, pointing out that resistance from some school administrators and PTA structures hindered the success of UPE and USE.
He said the establishment of Presidential Skilling Hubs has helped fill this gap, with thousands of youth already benefiting from vocational training.
During the rally, President Museveni handed over NRM flags to parliamentary aspirants, district chairpersons, councillors, and other party candidates, officially endorsing them ahead of the general elections.
NRM First National Vice Chairman Alhaji Moses Kigongo thanked the people of Bugiri for their unwavering support, urging them to turn out in large numbers on voting day.
Eastern Region Vice Chairperson Hon. Calvin Echodu commended the strong mobilisation in Busoga, while First Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga called for renewed focus on industrialisation, tourism, and water supply for the region.
Bugiri District NRM Chairperson Hon. Solomon Silwany expressed gratitude to the President for his leadership and the development gains that continue to uplift communities across Busoga.
