President Yoweri Museveni has urged National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament to return to grassroots methods of leadership by regularly engaging citizens, monitoring government programmes and addressing problems in their constituencies.
Museveni, who is also NRM National Chairperson, made the remarks on Friday, October 2, 2026, while addressing the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.
The meeting was the fourth sitting of the caucus during the first session of the 12th Parliament and followed a three-week parliamentary recess.
Museveni also urged the MPs to support the anti-corruption approach being pursued by Minister of State for Local Government Balaam Barugahara, saying it was consistent with methods the NRM used during its early years.
“Hon. Balaam is implementing what I have been talking about all the time,” Museveni said.
He said the NRM initially built public confidence by having its leaders directly engage communities and address problems at the local level.
“What Balaam and Nameere are doing is fighting corrupt people. That is why I put them into the local government,” he said.
Museveni urged MPs to hold barazas and other direct community engagements rather than relying heavily on organised events.
“I appeal to you to interact with the people directly. You will see, it will be easy to solve people’s problems,” he said.
He criticised what he described as events where leaders provide food, water and entertainment while failing to address underlying community problems.
“This business of bringing food, water and musicians to sing, it is because you have detached from the people. But deal with the problems. So please go back to the work methods of the NRM,” he said.
Museveni recalled the 1996 presidential election, saying he nearly missed the nomination deadline after being delayed in Nakasero and eventually used a motorcycle with his wife to reach the venue before the 5 pm deadline.
MPs told to monitor PDM
Museveni also tasked MPs with monitoring the Parish Development Model (PDM) in their constituencies to establish whether intended beneficiaries are receiving the funds.
“On the issue of PDM, check your areas. Check the families which have got the PDM money and those that haven’t gotten so that we cover the 33% of the people that are not yet in the money economy,” he said.
He urged MPs to ensure that the Shs1 million PDM revolving fund reaches intended beneficiaries and to spend more time in their constituencies monitoring its use.
“You as leaders make sure that this one million shillings reaches the people. Inspect that. That is your work as MPs,” Museveni said.
Security concerns
Museveni directed the Ministry of Internal Affairs and security agencies to investigate reported killings and theft in parts of western Uganda.
He cited reports of more than 15 people being killed in Ibanda, cattle theft in Kyankwanzi and theft in Kagadi.
“The police are supposed to be in the sub-county. I will look into the issues of theft and killings in the villages that are being reported,” he said.
He said he would engage police leadership on gaps in policing and security.
Irrigation, wetlands and energy
On agriculture, Museveni said irrigation should be treated as a necessity rather than an option, arguing that it would stabilise production and increase yields.
“Irrigation is now a must. It stabilises agriculture but also increases yield,” he said.
He also reiterated his position that wetlands should be protected and encroachers removed.
“All those people in the wetlands must get out,” Museveni said, adding that people removed from wetlands in areas including Busoga, Bukedi and Kigezi could be supported to engage in fish farming.
He said wetlands were important for supplying water for irrigation and supporting livelihoods.
On electricity, Museveni said Uganda had a small surplus but needed additional generation capacity, including the proposed Ayago hydropower project.
“Electricity, we have a little surplus of electricity, that is why we have to move to Ayago,” he said.
He also cited proposed railway projects to Karamoja and northern Uganda as part of efforts to improve transport connectivity and access to markets.
Museveni defends domestic value addition
On oil, Museveni said Uganda would continue pursuing domestic value addition, including the planned petroleum refinery in Hoima.
“Everything we produce must be processed,” he said.
He cited the Dangote refinery in Lagos as an example of domestic petroleum processing and said Uganda’s decision to prioritise refinery development alongside crude oil production was deliberate.
“The moment we discovered oil, people were saying we should export crude. I told them very clearly, no refinery, no production,” Museveni said.
He also used Uganda’s cotton industry to explain what he called “vertical integration”, in which raw materials undergo several stages of processing before becoming finished products.
He said cotton could be grown, ginned, spun, woven, printed and tailored in Uganda, creating additional earnings and employment.
“That is what we call vertical integration,” he said.
He contrasted this with what he described as horizontal integration in the dairy sector, where milk can be processed into products including yoghurt and butter.
Museveni attributed Uganda’s economic progress to the NRM’s long-term economic programme, pointing to commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT as key sectors for wealth creation and employment.
Aceng raises election petitions
Earlier, Government Chief Whip and Chairperson of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus Dr Jane Ruth Aceng thanked Museveni for convening the meeting.
She also conveyed condolences to the Tooro Kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV and congratulated King Edward Kijanangoma Nyabongo I.
Aceng told Museveni that NRM members were facing election petitions arising from the 2026 general elections.
“A total of 75 petitions involve our NRM MPs and flag bearers. They are all duly represented by counsel. They are requesting support towards their legal facilitation. Kindly look into this request,” she said.
She also reported progress on legislative matters, including the Agriculture Regulatory Bill, 2026, and a report by Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure concerning the Kampala Expressway and toll collections.
According to Aceng, the committee report recommended criminal investigations by the Inspectorate of Government, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Uganda Revenue Authority.
“On this one we need to kill many birds with one stone,” she said.
MPs raise constituency concerns
MPs also raised issues affecting their constituencies.
Laura Kanushu, the MP representing persons with disabilities, raised concerns over the alleged diversion of PDM funds intended for persons with disabilities to other beneficiaries.
Museveni warned against misuse of funds allocated to persons with disabilities and said the money should reach the intended beneficiaries.
He also said the government would continue supporting tea production and value addition and said a proposal would be developed to improve garbage collection and management, arguing that waste could be turned into an economic resource.
Caucus adopts nine resolutions
The NRM Parliamentary Caucus adopted nine resolutions covering corruption, government programmes, security, wealth creation, water, energy, infrastructure and regional integration.
On corruption, the caucus resolved to intensify the fight against the vice by returning to what it described as the original NRM work methods, including direct engagement with citizens and stronger supervision of government programmes at local-government level and in the health and education sectors.
The MPs also resolved to increase monitoring of crime, particularly livestock and coffee theft and murders, and to report cases to relevant authorities.
On economic empowerment, the caucus resolved to strengthen monitoring of PDM and other government programmes, with particular attention to the 33% of Ugandans whom Museveni said remain outside the money economy.
The caucus also resolved to ensure that PDM funds allocated to persons with disabilities are disbursed to the intended beneficiaries.
On water, the MPs resolved to prioritise water production and availability for domestic use and large-scale irrigation.
On energy, they resolved to support additional hydropower projects, including Ayago and Kiba, as well as solar and nuclear energy.
The MPs also committed to supporting expansion of the railway network and development of the oil refinery.
The ninth resolution committed the caucus to supporting the political and economic integration of East Africa and Africa towards a common market.