Museveni Pledges Aggressive Promotion of Fish Farming in Bukedi

Pallisa District — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged leaders in the Bukedi sub-region to champion the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s wealth-creation agenda, calling for modern farming, value addition, and enterprise development as key pathways to household prosperity.

Museveni made the remarks on Sunday, December 7, 2025, while addressing more than 10,000 NRM leaders at Pallisa Secondary School playground. The mobilisation gathering, convened by the Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, brought together leaders from Pallisa, Tororo, Busia, Butebo, Butaleja, and Kibuku districts.

The President announced that the government will prioritise and aggressively promote fish farming across Bukedi to boost household incomes and stimulate regional economic growth.

“This is something we are going to promote aggressively here in the Bukedi region,” Museveni said. “When individuals get rich, the whole country gets rich.”

He called on leaders to guide communities toward productive enterprises, noting that sustainable job creation is driven by wealth generated at the household level—whether through commercial agriculture, factories, ICT, or services. Museveni also directed leaders to ensure government programmes reach families most in need.

Appealing for strong NRM support in the 2026 elections, Museveni outlined the party’s seven core contributions over the last 40 years, including peace and security, infrastructure development, poverty reduction, job creation, and market expansion through regional integration.

The President further pledged to assist families in Busia whose relatives were killed by the Force Obote Back Again (FOBA) rebel group. “We still have that issue. We shall have to support those families,” he said.

Museveni also cautioned leaders to safeguard peace, recalling the instability caused by Alice Lakwena in the late 1980s. He advised Members of Parliament to support government prioritisation, arguing that it eliminates waste and enables completion of major projects, especially strategic roads.

“One by one makes a bundle,” he said. “You either prioritise or make mistakes.”

He additionally promised to support leaders with start-up capital to strengthen mobilisation and community engagement.

Rt. Hon. Among thanked the President for honouring the Bukedi meeting and pledged continued collaboration between local leaders and the central government. She also applauded Museveni for increasing LC1 chairpersons’ monthly pay from Shs10,000 to Shs100,000 and urged them to effectively spread the wealth-creation message in their communities.