Published on 12/11/2025
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured the people of Sebei Sub-region that the long-standing boundary dispute between Mount Elgon National Park and surrounding communities will soon be resolved.
The President, who was addressing a campaign rally in Kapchorwa District on Tuesday, said the government would send a team of surveyors to verify and finalize the boundary demarcation in order to end years of tension between the park authorities and residents.
“Our mountains, forests, rivers, lakes and wetlands are not political issues. They are matters of science and survival,” President Museveni said.
“Just as the human body depends on organs working in harmony, our environment must remain intact to sustain us. Interfering with these ecosystems can have severe consequences.”
He emphasized that environmental protection is essential for Uganda’s long-term sustainability and that the demarcation process will be guided by scientific evidence rather than political or emotional arguments.
The President noted that once the boundary verification is complete, both the park and the surrounding communities will benefit through improved conservation, tourism, and agricultural management.
Museveni also highlighted the economic potential of the Mount Elgon area, urging residents to explore tourism and related enterprises alongside farming.
He cited athletics icon Joshua Cheptegei as an example of local talent investing in community-based tourism and environmental conservation. “Mountains are not only for agriculture,” he said. “They can support tourism and other enterprises that benefit the community.”
Turning to disaster response, the President reaffirmed government support for families displaced by landslides in the Elgon region.
He said each affected household would receive two acres of land, Shs10 million, and compensation for crops and property lost.
“After the elections, we will hold a comprehensive discussion on long-term resettlement solutions,” he added.
The President also used the rally to emphasize the need for environmental restoration, saying that the destruction of forests and wetlands has worsened natural disasters in mountainous areas like Sebei.
Alongside his environmental message, President Museveni reiterated his government’s commitment to free education, warning that those who oppose the policy are “creating a time bomb” by denying children opportunities for a better future.
He said free education is not just a social policy but a moral obligation for a nation that considers all its citizens one family.
“When a child loses parents but wants to go to school, who should take responsibility?” he asked.
“Uganda is one big family, and government must take care of its children. These children are our greatest wealth.”
Museveni, accompanied by First Daughter Natasha Karugire Museveni, also presided over the handover of NRM party flags to parliamentary, LC V, and local council candidates in Kapchorwa District, formally endorsing their candidature ahead of the upcoming elections.
Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Among, who also serves as the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), praised the President for his continued investment in Sebei, particularly through the Parish Development Model (PDM), which she said has brought wealth and opportunity to many households.
The rally also featured testimonies from beneficiaries of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub.
Peace Chelangat, a former primary seven dropout from Tegeres in Kapchorwa, shared how she turned her life around after joining the hub.
“After completing six months of training in hairdressing, I started a salon that now employs three people. The hub completely changed my life,” she said, thanking the President for supporting youth through the skilling programme.
According to government data, Kapchorwa District has made significant strides in development under the PDM, Emyooga, and education expansion initiatives.
The district’s 85 parishes have received a total of Shs17.91 billion in PDM funding, reaching more than 17,000 households.
Under Emyooga, 36 SACCOs with over 25,000 members have benefited from Shs1.49 billion in government support.
Education access continues to expand, with 40 government primary and nine secondary schools now serving more than 35,000 students across the district.
New secondary schools are also planned under the UgIFT and USEEP programmes, aiming to ensure that every sub-county has a government secondary school.
In the health sector, the President noted that planned upgrades of Amukol HCII and Chepterech HCII to HCIII status will improve healthcare access.
Meanwhile, safe water coverage has reached 49%, with major projects like the Chemosong Gravity Flow Scheme and Matera Piped Water System set to expand services to remote communities.
Museveni reaffirmed his government’s commitment to resolving the Mount Elgon boundary issue once and for all, protecting the environment, and ensuring that local communities benefit from Uganda’s natural wealth through tourism, resettlement, and sustainable development.
The event was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, and thousands of supporters from across the Sebei sub-region.
