President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the Presidential flag bearer of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) today held a massive rally at Kyabazinga Grounds in Bugweri District, marking his second stop in the Busoga region as the NRM campaigns intensify ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Accompanied by the First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, President Museveni revisited his early days of resistance against Idi Amin to achieve peace, which is NRM’s first and most prized achievement.
“I was here in 1973, fighting Idi Amin with Engineer Kasadha. We went to Mayuge and later to Jinja. I salute the families in Busoga who worked with us in fighting Idi Amin,” he said, drawing applause as he recognized historical figures and victims from the region.
He invoked the memories of Busoga sons who suffered during the dark political years, including Hajji Balunywa, Shaban Nkuutu, Nkooto, Ntale, and others who were killed or forced into exile, such as Waluma, Kasadha, Kibedi, and Mbigiti.
“In the last 40 years, we have had seven contributions to Uganda, and the first one is peace. You know what lack of peace means and how many people died,” he said. “Therefore, the NRM in the last 40 years has been able to bring peace to Uganda.”
Development in Bugweri:
The NRM candidate reassured residents that he is aware of the gaps in Bugweri, especially its lack of adequate road equipment due to its status as a relatively new district.
“Your district does not have enough road equipment. I’m going to sort that one out. I got a lot of equipment from Japan to ensure every district has what it takes to maintain its roads,” President Museveni said.
He cited ongoing and completed road works such as Nawangisa–Buseesa–Nakivumbi–Ndongwe–Iganga and promised to personally follow up on the less familiar routes presented to him. District leaders later reinforced this demand, including calls for the tarmacking of Nawangisa–Nakivumbi with a spur to Iganga and Mayuge.
In the water sector, Bugweri District, according to President Museveni, now boasts 84% safe water coverage, with 124 out of 147 villages having access to clean water.
“These investments have strengthened water security and sanitation, especially in schools and trading centers,” he said, highlighting that the district is nearing full water coverage.
Regarding electricity, President Museveni highlighted the NRM’s electricity rollout plan, where power first reaches district headquarters, then sub-counties, and finally villages. He noted that more sub-counties in Bugweri are now connected to power, signaling progress.
“If you see power in the sub-counties, know that everything is going on well,” he said.
On education, President Museveni noted that Bugweri District has 54 government primary schools serving 46,876 pupils and 193 private primary schools, along with 7 government secondary schools enrolling 6,784 students and 50 private secondary schools.
President Museveni, however, expressed concern that despite having 37 parishes, 11 have no government primary school, while others have multiple.
“This one, please sort it out as leaders,” he warned, reminding them that national policy requires one government primary school per parish and one government secondary school per sub-county.
Bugweri’s 8 sub-counties currently have 5 government secondary schools, but the ongoing construction of 2 Seed Secondary Schools will ensure each sub-county has one.
President Museveni strongly criticized school administrators, PTAs, and foundation bodies for charging illegal fees in government schools, which he said was the leading cause of dropouts.
“That’s why I started skilling hubs where I give free education to my children.”
For Bugweri, the Presidential Skilling Hub is located in Jinja City, offering hands-on skilling in carpentry, tailoring, welding, baking, construction, plumbing, electrical work, automotive mechanics, and weaving. So far, 961 youth from Busoga have been trained, with the current intake of 240 undergoing training.
Namukwaya Salima, from Bugombe, narrated how she dropped out after Senior Four due to the inability to pay fees. After enrolling in tailoring at the skilling hub, she borrowed 80,000 shillings and started making children’s dresses.
“Now I’m not on the streets begging or doing prostitution,” she said, drawing applause and emotional reactions across the crowd.
Subiri Saleh, from Makuutu in Kasozi Parish, said bakery skills from the hub transformed his life. He earns about 20,000 shillings a day in profit, approximately 600,000 shillings monthly.
“I have also taught others how to do what I’m doing,” he proudly said.
President Museveni commended the young people and used their testimonies to challenge leaders.
“When God gives you the chance to lead, you should be very careful,” he said. “If you’re leaders and you deny education to these children, you are denying God.”
President Museveni also emphasized that the skilling hubs have enabled youth to produce items previously imported from China, India, and Dubai, including beds, chairs, metallic doors, and clothing.
He noted that Bugweri District has one HCIV in Bugweri Constituency with two doctors and an ambulance, six HCIIIs, ten HCIIs, and two sub-counties that still lack any health facility.
“We plan to upgrade Busesa HCIV to a general hospital. We shall upgrade Idudi HCII to HCIII in Idudi Town Council and upgrade Nsale HCII to HCIII in Ibulanku Sub-County,” he said.
Ongoing works include the expansion of the Busesa HCIV maternity ward and the construction of incinerators at Busembatia HCIII, Nawangisa HCIII, and Minani HCIII.
Wealth creation and jobs:
President Museveni cautioned residents against relying solely on physical infrastructure to escape poverty.
“I passed here in 1965, going to Teso College and Gulu to play games there. This road was already tarmacked from Kabale all the way to Soroti, and we have been repairing it several times. But even if you go today, you will find poor people near that tarmac road, yet development was there 60 years ago,” President Museveni said.
He reiterated the NRM’s 4-acre model, allocating one acre to coffee, another to pasture for zero-grazing cows, a third to fruits, and a fourth to food crops, with pigs and poultry in the backyard and fish farming for swamp-adjacent areas.
President Museveni highlighted success stories, such as a farmer in Abim earning 36 million shillings annually from mangoes. He said his Barlege farm in Lira, where he has a 20 m × 50 m fish pond, generates 100 million shillings per year, and MP Fred Byamukama’s 4-acre enterprise, which employs 26 people, makes 108 million shillings per month from poultry alone.
He criticized political actors who demand government jobs for everyone.
“Those who tell you to wait for government jobs are enemies of Uganda,” he said, citing the Sino-Mbale Industrial Park’s 75 factories employing 12,000 people as evidence of the NRM’s job creation strategy.
On the other hand, Maama Janet delivered a passionate message, acknowledging NRM’s track record and urging Bugweri to protect past achievements while embracing future transformation.
“Please remember on that day of voting, you need to go in person to vote for your own—President Museveni and the whole lineup of NRM flag bearers—so that you allow NRM to continue to protect this peace in our country and the freedom to work hard so that our country becomes better than it has been,” Maama Janet said, emphasizing that unity within the NRM is essential for Uganda’s progress.
Several key NRM figures delivered remarks reaffirming support for President Museveni and outlining regional demands.
Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo, NRM First National Vice Chairman, urged Busoga to back President Museveni for continued peace and asked leaders to avoid internal fights during the election season.
Hon. Calvin Echodu, NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, welcomed President Museveni “back home” to Busoga and hailed Bugweri leaders for strong mobilization.
“And these people are here because they are rallying and uniting around you. Busoga is very excited, and we thank you for being a uniting point for Busoga,” Hon. Echodu said.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, also welcomed President Museveni to Bugweri and presented several demands from the district. She highlighted the need for a second constituency and noted that many sub-counties still lack essential services.
Hon. Kadaga further appealed to the President to prioritize the construction of the Nondwe–Busembatya road.
She also informed President Museveni that the current PDM allocation is insufficient for Bugweri due to the high population in its parishes.
According to available statistics, Bugweri District has 36 PDM SACCOs and has so far received a total of Shs 11.106 billion, all of which has been disbursed to 11,387 beneficiary households. Out of the district’s 46,584 households, only 11,387, equivalent to 24.44%, have benefited from the PDM. This leaves 35,197 households, or 75.6%, yet to benefit, including some that are already participating in the money economy.
Alhajji Shaban Sadiki Nkutu, the NRM District Chairperson for Bugweri, expressed gratitude to President Museveni for granting the Bugweri district status. He also emphasized the community’s aspirations, including the establishment of an industrial park and the tarmacking of the Nawangisa–Nakivumbi road.
NRM’s Support in Bugweri:
Bugweri District is made up of 8 sub-counties and town councils, 37 parishes, and 147 villages, with a total population of 211,511 according to the 2024 census. In the 2021 elections, the district had 84,953 registered voters, of whom 47,064 cast their ballots, representing a voter turnout of 55.4%.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, President Museveni, received 17,428 votes (38.7%), while the National Unity Platform (NUP) secured 25,939 votes (57.6%). Ahead of the 2025 elections, the number of registered voters in Bugweri has risen to 96,437, and the number of polling stations has increased from 154 to 230.
The rally drew a notable lineup of NRM heavyweights, highlighting its significance in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.
Among those in attendance were Rt. Hon. Rukia Nakadama,the Third Deputy Prime Minister; Hon. Milly Babirye Babalanda, Minister for the Presidency; and Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, former Vice President; Shafic Mwanje, CEC member responsible for People with Disabilities; Arinaitwe Rwakajara Chairperson of the Workers’ League in the CEC.
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