President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), has called on the people of Kawempe North to vote for a political party that understands and can address their challenges.
He emphasised that electing a party with solutions is key to resolving community issues.
“First of all, elect a party which understands your problems. If you don’t do that, you will not get a solution. Therefore, don’t look at Nambi; look at the party first. And when you are listening to the campaigns, listen to whether the party understands your problems and can solve them,” President Museveni stated.
The President made these remarks while campaigning for Ms. Faridah Nambi, the NRM flag bearer for the Kawempe North parliamentary seat, during a public rally at Mbogo Muslim Primary School grounds. The seat became vacant following the death of Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya in January 2025. The by-election is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2025.
President Museveni urged voters to elect a legislator who collaborates with the government to improve service delivery in the area.
“If you want your problems to be solved, you need to elect a Member of Parliament who works well with the government,” he emphasised.
The President highlighted NRM’s track record in transforming Uganda, referencing areas like Kawanda, Matugga, Kigogwa, Sanga, and Nansana, which were once underdeveloped but now host factories.
He credited the stability brought by NRM, infrastructure improvements, and electricity supply as key drivers of this transformation.
“Those factories are part of the solutions to your problems because they create jobs for you and market for your products. Since those factories are near you, you should ensure you benefit from them. Those factories came because of the stability of the NRM. They came because of the electricity to run them. So, you can see that NRM from the beginning was aware of your problems,” he said.
President Museveni also urged Kawempe residents to focus on wealth creation to enhance their livelihoods.
“We can talk about development in general, like tarmac roads, Kawempe hospital, electricity, but at night you don’t sleep on the tarmacked road. You sleep in your house, and when you get back to your house, you find the problems you left there in the morning are still there,” he remarked.
He outlined several initiatives implemented by the NRM government to uplift Ugandans, including peace, free education in government schools, economic empowerment programs, and technical skills training for youth to address unemployment.
“The first medicine apart from peace was free education in government schools, but the efforts have been frustrated by some people at the grassroots level. Part of the solution to your problems is free education in government schools. Therefore, elect this young girl, Nambi, so that she comes and implements it at the local level. Free education will solve a lot of problems in our families,” he urged.
He also emphasised economic empowerment programs such as Bonna Bagaggawale (Prosperity for All), Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, Emyooga, and the Parish Development Model (PDM) as key interventions to boost livelihoods. The President announced plans to increase PDM funding for urban areas, ensuring that more people benefit.
“The Prime Minister has reported to me that the Shs100m we are sending to the Parish is not enough since there are many households. In some villages, the money can make an impact because people are few, unlike in towns like here. So now we are going to put more money in towns,” he said.
“The question, however, is why haven’t your Members of Parliament been raising this issue?” he asked.
NRM Leaders and Supporters Mobilise for Victory
The First Vice-Chairperson of NRM, Alhajji Moses Kigongo, thanked President Museveni for personally campaigning for the party’s candidate and commended the residents of Kawempe North for their support.
“Today, you have gathered here in big numbers to show that we can win this by-election. NRM fronted Faridah Nambi as its candidate. Let us support her so that she can win this seat,” Kigongo stated.
Ms. Faridah Nambi assured the President that she and her team had been mobilizing through door-to-door campaigns and expressed confidence in securing victory for NRM in the election.
“I thank the people of Kawempe for supporting the NRM party. Thank you for coming in big numbers,” she said.
Defections from NUP to NRM
During the rally, 186 people defected from the National Unity Platform (NUP) to the NRM. Mr. Mutebi Edrisa, leader of the defectors, informed President Museveni that they had now realised the value of joining the ruling party.
The rally was attended by Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, Ministers, and other NRM leaders all reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring victory for Nambi and the continued progress of Kawempe North.
