Museveni Pledges Improved Road Connectivity for Lango

Lira City — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has promised to address road connectivity gaps in the Lango sub-region, saying the government will study proposals for improving eastern access routes to ensure fair and balanced infrastructure development.

Museveni, the National Chairman and presidential flagbearer of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), pledged on Sunday, December 7, 2025, while addressing more than 15,000 NRM leaders at Lango College in Lira City.

Responding to concerns about limited tarmac road coverage, the President agreed that some parts of Lango—especially the Amolatar–Namasale area—remain unfairly constrained by poor road links.

“It makes no sense for someone from Namasale to travel all the way through Lira, Kamdini, and Karuma when Nakasongola is just across the water,” Museveni said. “I’m going to study the issue of eastern access. That one makes sense.”

The matter was raised by Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, who led a delegation of leaders from Amolatar, Alebtong, and Dokolo districts. Obua proposed that the 42.4 km Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloe Road be added to ongoing infrastructure projects connected to either the Lira–Aloe–Alebtong Road or the Dokolo–Namasale Road.

He said the route would boost trade, reduce travel time between Lango, Acholi, and Karamoja, ease access to new ferry terminals at Amolatar and Kaberamaido, and open tourism corridors toward Kidepo Valley National Park. Citing the Equal Opportunities Commission, he noted that Lango’s tarmac coverage stands at only 5 percent—Uganda’s lowest.

The mobilisation meeting, the largest of its kind in the region, brought together NRM leaders from LC1 to district level as part of the party’s 2026 re-election strategy.

Museveni outlined government achievements in the region, including the tarmacking of the Soroti–Lira and Rwenkunyu–Masindi Port–Lira–Apac roads, and ongoing work on the Bobi–Aboke road. “These have been done through prioritisation,” he said.

He urged Lango to support the NRM overwhelmingly in 2026, citing the party’s contributions in peace and security, infrastructure, education, agriculture-led job creation, manufacturing, and regional integration. The President reminded the gathering of the region’s troubled past—from Idi Amin’s rule to the LRA insurgency and cattle rustling—and warned against threats to national stability.

The President also said the NRM will discuss a proposal to introduce monthly salaries for certain grassroots party leaders, but cautioned that salaries alone are not sustainable. Instead, he recommended wealth-creation programs modelled on Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model.

“The best way is to help families have their own income to support themselves and the party,” Museveni said, adding that the government is allocating Shs 15 million per parish specifically for local leadership under PDM.

NRM Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, praised Museveni for restoring peace and highlighted his trust in Lango, reflected through key ministerial appointments. She applauded the increase in LC1 chairpersons’ allowances from Shs 10,000 to Shs 100,000 and called for their inclusion as ex officio district council members.

Hon. Obua described the gathering as historic and urged the President to replicate similar engagements in Acholi and West Nile. He listed other key developments in Lango, including Lira University, the upgrade of Lira Hospital to a Regional Referral Hospital, progress on Akii Bua Stadium, and several road projects.

President Museveni is expected to continue his campaign trail on Monday, December 8, 2025, with visits to Kamwenge and Kyegegwa districts.