Kakumiro – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has concluded his week-long campaign tour of the Bunyoro sub-region with a massive rally in Kakumiro District, rallying voters to renew his mandate and support the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the 2026 general elections.
Addressing thousands of supporters at Kakeeta Playground on Monday, December 15, 2025, President Museveni said the NRM’s 40-year record in peace, infrastructure development, and household wealth creation provides a strong basis for continued leadership.
“NRM does not only tell you what to do to get out of poverty, but also supports you,” the President said, noting that the ruling party has consistently matched policy guidance with practical interventions at the household and community level.
Peace as the foundation
President Museveni said peace remains the NRM’s most significant achievement since taking power in 1986, recalling the years of instability and conflict that preceded the Movement’s rule.
“You remember when we came into government, even before that, Uganda was in endless wars. The NRM finished all that, and now we have total peace,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
He argued that sustained peace has enabled long-term planning, investment, and expansion of social services, including in historically marginalised regions such as Bunyoro.
Infrastructure and service delivery
The President said development of economic and social infrastructure was the second major pillar of the NRM’s contribution, highlighting improvements in roads, electricity, schools, and health facilities across Kakumiro and the wider Bunyoro sub-region.
He pledged government support for the construction and upgrading of key roads, including the Kazo–Kabagore–Kyegegwa–Karuguza road and the Kisiita–Nkooko–Masode–Ntwetwe road, which will link Kakumiro to neighbouring districts.
“All those roads will be worked upon,” President Museveni assured residents.
On health, the President acknowledged gaps in service coverage, noting that only two of Kakumiro’s 24 sub-counties have Health Centre IV facilities. He announced the upgrade of Kakumiro Health Centre IV to a general hospital, as well as plans to elevate Kisiita Health Centre III to HCIV and construct new HCIII facilities in Mpasaana, Kisiita, Nalweyo, Kikoora and Bwanswa.
“We are going to upgrade Kakumiro HCIV to a general hospital,” he said.
On electricity, President Museveni said Kakumiro is already connected to the national grid, with plans to extend power to the remaining sub-counties of Bwanswa, Kyabasaija, Mpasaana and Nkooko. He added that 92 per cent of villages in the district now have access to safe water.
Wealth creation at the household level
The President emphasised that infrastructure alone cannot eliminate poverty without deliberate efforts to increase household incomes. He said this informed government programmes such as Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Kakumiro District has 105 PDM SACCOs, which have received Shs37.56 billion, with Shs32.79 billion already disbursed to over 32,800 households.
“In 1996, we told you to stop working only for the stomach but also for the pockets,” President Museveni said, referring to the NRM’s four-acre model for smallholder farmers.
He cited successful demonstration farms, including that of State Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama, whose integrated four-acre farm in Kakumiro combines coffee, bananas, pineapples, poultry, dairy and piggery.
“Byamukama is using four acres to create wealth for himself and others,” the President said.
He also cited examples from Karamoja and Lira, arguing that wealth creation depends more on enterprise selection than infrastructure alone. “That man is in Abim, Karamoja, where there is no tarmac road, but he is creating wealth,” Museveni said. “Development is not there, but wealth is there.”
Jobs, industry and elections
On employment, the President said sustainable jobs come from commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT, not public service alone. He cited industrial parks such as Namanve and Sino–Mbale, which together employ tens of thousands of workers.
The rally marked the final stop of President Museveni’s Bunyoro campaign tour, which covered Hoima, Masindi, Kibaale, Buliisa, Kiryandongo, Kagadi, Kikuube and Kakumiro districts.
Prime Minister and Kakumiro Woman MP, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja thanked the President for elevating Kakumiro to district status and for funding key projects, including the district administration block commissioned earlier in the day.
“We shall not disappoint you,” Nabbanja said, urging residents to vote for President Museveni and the NRM in 2026.
As he concluded the campaign trail, President Museveni called on voters to support the NRM, arguing that its record in peace, development, wealth creation and job generation offers a clear roadmap for Uganda’s future.
