President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon Ugandans to reject corruption and make decisions based on principles and national interest rather than short-term financial incentives, which are likely to distort democratic outcomes.
“Why should you be influenced and throw away your power to elect your desired candidate? Therefore, when you see someone bringing money that you elect, avoid them. You have the power; don’t throw it away,” President Museveni said.
Addressing a rally on Wednesday, 18th June , 2025, at Kituntu sub-county, Mpigi district as he concluded his nationwide Parish Development Model (PDM) zonal tour in Greater Mpigi, President Museveni thanked the people of region for supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM), assuring them that the government has put in place measures to stop vote rigging, which happened in the 2021 elections, where the opposition rigged 2.7 million votes as a result of the negligence of some of the NRM people.
“We have now introduced biometric machines to ensure everybody votes once. We shall not allow vote rigging anymore,” he emphasized.
The remarks come at a time when the country is preparing for the 2026 general elections.
At the same event, President Museveni received 184 converts from other political parties to the NRM.
The presidential tour of Greater Mpigi included engagements with district leaders, PDM SACCO beneficiaries, and farmers across the districts of Butambala, Gomba, and Mpigi, focusing on evaluating household-level transformation efforts and strengthening local economic enterprises under the PDM.
“I’m happy to be back here in Kituntu sub-county after a long time,” President Museveni said, mentioning that among the NRM’s contributions to Uganda is peace, which has enabled the population to engage in wealth creation activities and contribute to national development.
“The other day we held such a meeting in Gombe up to the night hours, but when I was returning to Kampala at night, people were still working with their shops open, almost all trading centers,” President Museveni noted, emphasizing that after peace, the government has realized several developmental initiatives such as electricity, roads, health centers, and schools where the NRM has made some good contributions.
“In 1961, when I started at Ntare School in Mbarara, there were only six (6) schools with A-level, namely Buddo, Kisubi, Ntare, Namagunga, Gayaza, and Nabbingo, but the other day, when we counted, you had 28 government schools with A-level in the greater Mpigi districts (Mpigi, Butambala, and Gomba),” President Museveni said, emphasizing the importance of leaders explaining to their people where Uganda has come from in 1986, where it is, and where it’s going.
President Museveni, however, encouraged the citizens to engage in wealth creation activities, noting that all the developmental initiatives, such as roads, health centers, and schools, are for all Ugandans, but wealth and poverty remain personal.
“The way you have come here to the meeting, when you return home, you’ll still be welcomed with the poverty you left there. That’s why NRM is not in politics for a show but to help you get out of poverty,” the President emphasized.
His message was based on examples of Ms. Rashida Namubiru, a PDM beneficiary in Kasaka village, Gombe Town Council, Butambala district; Ms. Namutebi Deborah of Lusenke village, Kome ward, Kanoni Town Council, Gomba East Constituency, Gomba district, who is a PDM beneficiary in greater Mpigi involved in poultry and animal husbandry; and Hajji Muhammad Zziwa, an established farmer located in Selinya B Village, Musa Parish, Kamengo sub-county, Mawokota North constituency in Mpigi district, who has done well.
“This shows that it is possible that you can use this PDM program very well and get out of poverty in your household,” President Museveni noted, adding that with the PDM, every parish will be in a position to own a bank and get rid of moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rates.
“Each year we shall send Shs100 million. That means in 5 years, the parish will get Shs500 million, but also in the 3rd year, the ones who got first will pay back, and that money will come back to the fund of the parish, and by 5 years, the parish SACCO will have gotten an extra Shs 300 million coming back from the initial borrowers. It will no longer be Shs 500 million but Shs 800 million. You don’t have to borrow from the moneylenders or even the commercial banks,” the President explained.
To date, a total of Shs 33.429 billion has been allocated to the 130 PDM SACCOs across all three districts, with Mpigi receiving the highest amount (Shs 14.400 billion), followed by Gomba (Shs 12.600 billion) and Butambala, which has received a capitalization amount of Shs 6.428 billion because they have the lowest number of parishes in the region.
About job creation, President Museveni re-emphasized the importance of wealth creation, describing it as a fundamental instrument to job creation, adding that there are 480,000 jobs in the government against a population of 46 million people.
He gave an example of the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, whose commercial farm in Bugangaizi, Kagadi, employs over 26 people, with the least earning 200,000 shillings per month. The industries in Uganda are employing 1.2 million people.
On the issue of health, President Museveni stressed that the government is to construct a district hospital in Mpigi in line with its manifesto of establishing a hospital for every district. He further rallied parents to take immunization seriously against the six killer diseases and malaria, and for girls under nine years to be vaccinated against cervical cancer.
“I’m now 80 years old, but who has ever heard that Museveni is sick and has been admitted to the hospital? We were in the bush for 5 years, but we never had any problems.”
About HIV/AIDS, President Museveni called for abstinence and being faithful among partners to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
The NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, rallied the party leaders in Greater Mpigi to support President Museveni as their flag bearer in the 2026 presidential elections. He also called upon the residents to vote for all NRM flag bearers in the 2026 elections to overturn the embarrassment of the 2021 elections, where, out of the 105 parliamentary seats in the Buganda region, NRM managed to get only 31 seats.
The PDM Presidential zonal tours aim to accelerate the implementation of President Museveni’s vision to lift 3.5 million households out of subsistence farming by 2026. Previous visits include that of Greater Masaka, Bugisu, Bukedi, Teso, Sebei, Karamoja, Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Rwenzori, Ankole, Tooro, and Bunyoro.
The event was also attended by the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Haruna Kasolo, the Minister of State for Microfinance, Hon. Evelyn Anite, the Minister of State for Investment and Privatization, the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Hon. Rose Namayanja and the chairperson of the NRM Women League, Hon. Lydia Wanyoto, Members of Parliament, among others.
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