MOYO — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to make education in all government schools completely free and to expand wealth creation programmes to transform every Ugandan household into an active player in the money economy.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at Celecelea Stadium in Moyo District on Friday, October 17, 2025, President Museveni said the next phase of the NRM government will focus on ensuring that no child is denied education because of school fees and that every family engages in income-generating activities.
“I have been having people who don’t listen to my idea of free education. That’s why I started skilling hubs where children pay nothing. In the next government, we shall make education in government schools completely free,” he said.
The President revealed that the government plans to recruit 50,000 new teachers to fill staffing gaps in public schools.
‘Development Alone Is Not Enough’
While commending Uganda’s development milestones — including new roads, electricity, and social services — President Museveni warned that many Ugandans still confuse development with wealth.
“When you return home in the evening, the poverty you left in the morning is still waiting for you. That is why we in the NRM have always emphasised wealth creation alongside development,” he explained.
He said the NRM began promoting household income generation as far back as the 1960s, but the message was often misunderstood.
“Some people used to say Kaguta’s son has become a communist, asking how everyone can be rich. But those who listened — especially in the cattle corridor — are now successful, with good houses, educated children, and stable incomes,” he said.
President Museveni cited his four-acre demonstration farm in the Lango Sub-region, where he earns UGX 100 million from a single fishpond, as evidence that small-scale farmers can build wealth with proper planning.
He announced that the government intends to turn the Nile Valley into a major fish farming zone. “Not in the Nile itself, but along the sides and swamps,” he clarified.
Peace and Patriotism at the Core of NRM Ideology
The President thanked the people of Moyo for their consistent support of the NRM, describing them as “long-standing comrades” in the struggle for peace and prosperity. He also paid tribute to the family of the late Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga, one of the party’s earliest mobilizers in the region.
Museveni reminded the gathering that peace remains the foundation of all national progress. “Before Independence, Uganda was always at war. But since 2007, the NRM has stopped all those conflicts. Peace is not by accident; it’s because we rejected sectarian politics and gender chauvinism. Sectarian politics is suicidal,” he emphasised.
He said the NRM’s ideology of patriotism and Pan-Africanism has helped build strong national institutions such as the army, police, and judiciary, ensuring lasting stability. “Each district contributes to army recruitment, and that’s how we built a truly national force,” he added.
Infrastructure and Local Leadership
On infrastructure, the President announced that Moyo District has now been connected to the national electricity grid through Gulu, and that key road upgrades — including the Karuma–Pakwach–Nebbi road — are underway.
He urged local leaders to take responsibility for road maintenance. “Don’t wait for roads to get spoiled. Whether tarmac or murram, repair them before they deteriorate,” he advised.
Defections
At the same event, President Museveni, who also serves as NRM National Chairman, welcomed 114 former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) members and 64 from the National Unity Platform (NUP) who crossed over to the NRM.
Mr Ayanyama Williams, the NRM Chairperson for Moyo District, thanked the President for implementing transformative initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), which he said has already improved livelihoods in the district.
“We appreciate the PDM, which is changing lives here in Moyo. We also thank you for supporting Moyo Technical Institute and request that it be upgraded to a diploma and degree-awarding institution,” Mr Ayanyama said.
He further commended the government for ongoing road works and called for sustained investment in infrastructure and education to consolidate growth and development in the district.
