Established in 2009 and operational by 2010, Buyende District, carved out of Kamuli, sits in Eastern Uganda and is home to a population of over 403,000 people as per the 2024 census. Despite its 15 years of existence, the district has struggled to shake off the dust of underdevelopment, dragging its feet in key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and governance. For years, Buyende has been seen as a footnote in national development conversations, a forgotten page in the book of progress.
Walking through the district, one might wonder: Who is to blame for this snail-paced development? Is it the central government? Is it the local leadership that has failed to inspire meaningful change? Or is it the people themselves who have, perhaps unknowingly, clung to lifestyles that resist modern transformation?
These questions echo like whispers in the wind, especially in a place where roads remain impassable during the rainy season, schools struggle with poor performance, and access to health services remains a daily challenge. Yet, as the old saying goes, “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” And in Buyende, that sunrise seems to have come in the form of Hon. Milly Babirye Babalanda.
Like a long-awaited savior, Hon. Babalanda has emerged as the beacon of hope, a daughter of the soil whose story inspires both admiration and belief in the impossible. Born in Nalinaibi village, Kamuli District, she rose from humble beginnings, navigating Uganda’s education system with grit and determination. Her character is not forged in gold but in perseverance. “The child who fetches water is the one who breaks the pot,” they say, and indeed, she has taken the risks and responsibilities that come with rising leadership.
Recognized early for her mobilization skills, Hon. Babalanda caught the eye of Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, who steered her path toward national service. From being appointed Deputy RDC of Busia in 2014, to Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs, and eventually Minister for the Presidency in 2021, her trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable. In each office she has held, she left a footprint that tells of service, structure, and integrity.
In her ministerial role, Hon. Babalanda has streamlined the operations of RDCs and RCCs across the country, pushing them to deliver beyond lip service. Even amidst resistance and systemic challenges, “she has not just spoken the change, she has worked it.” Under her watch, the face of service delivery through these government officials has started to take shape.
But perhaps her boldest move was not remaining in the safety of appointed office, but stepping into elective politics. With options before her in urban Jinja, she chose instead to root herself in Budiope West, a rural constituency in Buyende.
Many questioned her decision, but “a river does not forget its source,” and Hon. Babalanda knew that true transformation begins at home.
Since throwing her political weight behind Budiope West, Buyende has started turning heads. For a district once invisible on the national stage, it now enjoys presidential attention not once, but twice in less than a year, first during World AIDS Day and again at Hon. Babalanda’s thanksgiving ceremony.
Few districts can boast of such repeated presidential visits in so short a time. And when the President comes, “ears open and pens write,” because development tends to follow visibility.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, a seasoned statesman who recognizes loyal and effective leadership, has clearly found trust in Hon. Babalanda’s work.
His visit did not just end in speeches, it resulted in tangible pledges, including UGX 100 million towards the development of the seventh day Adventist cathedral, UGX 30 million of which was paid in cash, and the donation of a UGX 6 million motorcycle to a Local Council I chairperson. More importantly, it created a rare opportunity for local leaders to speak directly to the President, voicing urgent concerns like inadequate classrooms at Iringa Primary School and the need for increased Parish Development Model (PDM) funding.
Hon. Babalanda, in her address, raised critical issues like internal NRM party divisions and the plight of displaced fishing communities, issues long buried in silence but now shouted from a national platform. It takes not only courage but clout to bring such matters to the President’s ears. As they say, If the foundation is weak, the house cannot stand,” but with leaders like Babalanda, the pillars of development are finally being reinforced.
Being Minister for the Presidency, she naturally attracted a high-profile audience to her event; RDCs, MPs, ministers, and dignitaries. This wasn’t just ceremony; it brought political capital and socio-economic visibility to Buyende. Hotels were filled, businesses buzzed, and local networks expanded. Development isn’t only measured in tarmac and buildings, it also thrives in networks, attention, and opportunity.
Some in Jinja who underestimated her must now be looking back with regret. “You never miss the water till the well runs dry.” As she redirected her energy to Buyende, Jinja may have lost a gem, but Buyende gained a rare diamond, one that is already reflecting light across the district.
President Museveni and Hon. Babalanda together represent vision and execution, center and grassroots, seasoned leadership and rising transformation. While challenges remain, what is clear is that Buyende is no longer asleep. The wind is changing. The wheels are turning. And with continued support and visionary leadership, the district once branded forgotten may very well become a model of rural transformation in Uganda.
In Hon. Babalanda, Buyende has not just found a leader, it has found a torchbearer. And with the President’s hand behind her, the future is no longer a distant dream but a path already being paved. As another saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.” Thankfully, for Buyende, the planting has begun.
For God and my Country
Phillip R. Ongadia – NRM Mobilizer, NRM Publicity Secretary Church Cell –Walukuba East and PRO Jinja social Media Team.
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