President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon leaders at all levels to assess and determine whether parents in their communities are financially capable of paying school fees to enable the government to revise its policy on free education.
“The question to you, the leaders, whether political, religious, or cultural, is whether those people you see in the villages can afford school fees. You should answer that. The NRM observed that they could not and introduced free education. If they can pay for themselves, we can change the policy,” President Museveni said.
The President made the remarks on Friday, May 23rd, 2025, at a thanksgiving ceremony for Hon. Grace Mary Mugasa, the Minister of State for Public Service, held at Kisaaru-Kyabayanja village, Kimbugu Parish in Kabwoya sub-county, Kikuube district.
He highlighted the need to assess the financial capacities of families in their communities for clarity on whether parents are genuinely unable to pay or are merely unwilling.
“The other time in Ibanda (Ankole), while addressing a rally like this one, I asked if people like Deziranta, whom you have seen here (on the screens), who had no income, could afford to pay school fees or do they pretend they can do it?” the President noted.
According to President Museveni, this arises amidst ongoing challenges in implementing Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs, which he said are perpetrated by head teachers working with the school committees in many government schools to impose various school fees, including charges for extra teachers and lunch. He highlighted these challenges as major barriers to free education access.
“What I’m asking you is to discuss this for the good of the country. Are parents able to pay school fees? We can still pay for them up to 15 years, and after establishing that the poverty levels have reduced, we will review the policy. Do the research and come and advise us,” the President emphasized.
Kikuube district Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Canon Edward Busingye, informed President Museveni that out of 100 pupils who begin primary one, only 52 finish primary seven, and the number reduces further when they advance to secondary school.
On the other hand, the President reiterated the six pillars, namely, peace, security, development, wealth, health, and education, as key to achieving socio-economic transformation, when handled carefully through prioritization.
“I’m happy to be here at the thanksgiving ceremony of Mary Mugasa, whom I know very well as a daughter of the Basiita. You have done very well to invite all these people to talk to them and remind them of what should be done in public administration,” President Museveni said, saying many countries in Africa are facing problems because they cannot prioritize critical items such as peace (a strong army) and clean politics.
“NRM has been able to keep peace all these years because of clean politics, which is against identity based on race and religion,” he said.
The President, however, cautioned Ugandans to distinguish between development (roads, electricity, health centers, schools), which is for all, and wealth or poverty, which is personal.
“It is therefore important for the leaders to know this,” he noted while giving an example of the road from Kampala, through Kafu, Karuma, and Gulu, which has been tarmacked all the time, but some people residing alongside it are poor.
President Museveni revisited the 1996 NRM Manifesto about intensive agriculture for Ugandans with four 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.
The President also pointed out a few people who have listened to his message and are doing well, such as Joseph Ijara, a former taxi conductor 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, and a one Irumba of Hoima who earns Shs 60 million per month as profits from selling eggs and employs 50 people.
“You, the parents, need to advise your children that the government jobs (civil servants, police, the army, teachers, and health workers) are limited- only 480,000. You prepare yourself to work in commercial farms, factories, and service sectors or become a job creator in the commercial agricultural sector,” he stressed.
President Museveni added that the factories alone employ 1.2 million people, three times more than the government, while the agriculture sector employs 3.6 million people, and the services sector, 5 million people.
“So you people are looking at the wrong address for jobs,” he noted, adding that now that the government has introduced the Parish Development Model, the agricultural sector is set to employ more people.
About Health, President Museveni urged Ugandans to take their children for immunization against killer diseases, and more especially girls below eight years against cervical cancer.
He pledged to send Shs 50 million for the priests SACCO , Shs 20 million for the two artisan groups (Shs 10 million each), Shs 20 million for Kabwoya SACCO , and a school bus.
Earlier, a thanksgiving mass was held, led by the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hoima, Rt. Rev. Vincent Kirabo, assisted by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Gulu, His Grace Raphael P’Mony Wokorach, and several Rev. Fathers and sisters. Several bishops and former bishops of the Anglican Diocese of Bunyoro Kitara were also in attendance.
Hon. Mugasa thanked President Museveni for gracing her thanksgiving ceremony.
The Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, thanked President Museveni for the road network, electricity, and other development initiatives in Bunyoro.
“In Bunyoro Kitara, we are not complaining, and we can only promise you 100% votes in the 2026 elections,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja said.
The LC 1 Chairman of Kisaaru-Kyabayanja village, Mr. John Mugabo, welcomed the President and asked him, on behalf of his people, to offer himself as the NRM sole candidate in the 2026 presidential elections.
Mr. Mugabo asked the President to intervene in the land issue involving MZ Agencies Ltd, which has a land title covering 5 villages, and to ensure residents get freehold land titles.
“This is affecting wealth creation in the area because our status on the land is not assured,” Mr. Mugabo said.
The event was also attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, among other dignitaries.
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