President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Chairperson and party flagbearer for the 2026 presidential elections, on Tuesday, 2nd December, 2025 intensified his campaign drive with a major rally in Sheema District, where he defended the NRM’s record on peace, unity, development, and wealth creation while unveiling a range of new pledges for the district and wider country.
In his address to the thousands of enthusiastic supporters who filled the Kabwohe Playground grounds, President Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha, placed significant emphasis on the NRM’s enduring theme of peace and unity, arguing that Uganda’s transformation from instability to economic progress is rooted in the elimination of sectarian politics and the creation of a national army built on patriotism rather than tribal or religious lines.
President Museveni recounted scenes from his earlier Parish Development Model (PDM) tours, recalling how he encountered Ugandans socialising late into the night in village bars across the country.
“People were enjoying themselves at 9 pm, drinking and happy. That is what they call peace,” he said. “But unfortunately, many did not know where the peace came from. It came from the good leadership of the NRM.”
He argued that before 1986, politics of identity—particularly tribal and religious divisions—made the country ungovernable and robbed it of the opportunity for economic growth. The NRM’s rise to power, he said, shifted Uganda from chaos to stability.
“There is no other party that would garner 50 per cent of the vote until the NRM brought unity of religions and tribes and gave affirmative action to women,” President Museveni said, adding that this unity created a mass political force that secured the nation and sustained long-term stability.
The President urged Ugandans to continue supporting the “resistance way” of doing things, which he described as a process rooted in prioritisation and long-term planning.
He criticized regimes before 1986 for collapsing as a result of attempting to address too many problems simultaneously.
“The beauty is that God loves NRM, and He has been granting us more solutions with time. For instance, the discovery of oil. By next year, we shall be using oil money for infrastructure,” H.E. Museveni said, further announcing a major pledge to upgrade key roads in the district once oil revenues start flowing. He promised that the government will tarmac the road network from Buzibwera – Nyakambu – Busiika – Nyakashaka – Nyakabiriizi up to Kabwohe – Bugongi and Kitagata.
“These roads will be worked on in the next term of office because we shall have more money from the oil,” President Museveni assured, drawing loud applause from the supporters.
The pledge aligns with NRM’s broader infrastructure agenda, which the President described as a cornerstone of national development that enables socio-economic growth and service delivery.
President Museveni also highlighted the district’s progress in electricity and water access, as well as education and health services.
On water coverage, President Museveni learnt that out of Sheema’s 619 villages, 487 have safe water sources, representing 79% coverage, while 21% (132 villages) remain without access to safe water.
President Museveni said these gaps would be addressed as resources increase.
Regarding education, Sheema District and Municipality now host 133 government primary schools and 17 government secondary schools. The expansion, President Museveni said, reflects the government’s commitment to education access.
On Health facilities, he noted that out of 15 sub-counties in Sheema, 1 has a hospital, 2 have Health Centre IVs, 12 have Health Centre IIIs and only one sub-county lacks any form of health facility.
The President announced that the government will construct a new HCIII in Masheruka Sub-County and will consider establishing a district hospital as requested by local leaders.
President Museveni also dedicated a significant portion of his speech to re-educating the public about the difference between government-led development and individual wealth creation. He explained that development refers to public goods such as roads, electricity, schools, and water facilities the state provides for national progress. Wealth, however, must be generated by individuals and households through productive economic activities.
“That’s why we told you to differentiate between development and wealth,” he said. “Since 1963, the Mbarara–Kasese road has been tarmacked, but poor people are still there despite having a tarmac road.”
To escape poverty, President Museveni said Ugandans must use these public goods to engage in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT. He emphasised that government initiatives like the Parish Development Model (PDM) exist to help individuals transition from subsistence to income-generating enterprises.
President Museveni reinforced his argument by highlighting several successful Ugandans who used small government interventions or modest resources to build lucrative enterprises. Examples included George Matongo of Ngoma (Nakaseke), who sells 900 litres of milk daily, earning around Shs 21 million per month, despite living 70 miles from a tarmac road.
Johnson Basangwa, a major poultry farmer in Kamuli earns about Shs 20 million per day from egg sales and employs over 300 workers.
The President also revisited the longstanding 4-acre model, encouraging farmers with small landholdings to diversify into coffee, fruits, livestock pasture, and food crops, supplemented by backyard activities such as poultry and piggery.
On the other hand, President Museveni reassured tea farmers that the government will stabilize prices and correct earlier missteps in the sector. He announced that a special financing scheme—similar to PDM—will be introduced to help tea farmers access loans for fertilizers and other inputs.
“The funds will go crop by crop, including cocoa,” he said, promising broader support for commercial crop enterprises across Uganda.
Turning to unemployment, President Museveni dismissed the notion that the government is the primary source of jobs.
“Government jobs are few, only 480,000 altogether, but 1.3 million people are employed in factories and manufacturing,” he said, emphasizing that the private sector, especially commercial agriculture, industry, ICT, and services, is the true engine of job creation.
He cited the example of factories in Mbale Industrial Park, which employ 12,000 Ugandans in just one square mile, three times fewer than those employed in Namanve.
The President also championed the Presidential Skilling Hubs, which offer free vocational training and have already produced thousands of young entrepreneurs.
Testimonies from beneficiaries included Nimusiima Ritah from Sheema, who dropped out in S.4 but trained in tailoring at the Mbarara skilling hub. She now runs her own business—God’s Mercy Super Tailors—employs two people, and earns Shs 650,000 in monthly profit. Similarly, Kakuru Polly from Sheema Municipality, who trained in hairdressing and now owns God’s Mercy Salon and employs two people.
President Museveni further issued a stern warning to officials involved in the embezzlement of PDM funds meant for the poorest households. He vowed to order arrests for all perpetrators, citing reports that some beneficiaries were not receiving the mandated Shs 1 million.
Sheema District and Municipality, which have 74 parishes, have so far received Shs 24.9 billion in PDM funds, of which Shs 21.47 billion (85.9%) has been disbursed to 22,062 households—representing 37.8% of all households. This means 62.2% of the district’s 58,374 households, totaling 36,312, have not yet received support.
Maama Janet also addressed the gathering where she thanked residents for their overwhelming support and expressed gratitude for God’s protection over Uganda.
“On the voting day, please turn up in such big numbers and vote for President Museveni and all NRM members as you have promised,” she urged.
NRM Secretary General,Rt Hon. Richard Todwong praised Sheema residents for their loyalty to the party and described the campaign rally as a learning session for citizens.
“Thank you for the love you have shown. To me, this is a classroom. Ours is to prepare the classroom for the teacher to continue teaching us. The President is not just campaigning—he is teaching,” Rt. Hon. Todwong said.
The rally was attended by several senior government and party officials, including Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, Members of the NRM Central Executive Committee, ministers, veteran NRM supporters, among others.
ENDS
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