Published on 02/12/2025
President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Maama Janet Museveni on Tuesday addressed thousands of supporters during an NRM campaign rally at Kizinda Playground in Bushenyi District, where they called for the protection of peace and continued support for the ruling party NRM ahead of the 2026 elections.
Maama Janet Museveni praised the people of Bushenyi for their development efforts, noting the well-built homes, organised farms and properly maintained government projects visible as they flew into the district.
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“You have made a bold statement like the people of Mbarara City,” she said. “We should always remember that peace is important, and we must ensure that we protect it. Most of you are young, but this peace was achieved through a long struggle.”
She urged all eligible voters not only to turn up on voting day but also to mobilise their families and neighbours. “Do not stay home. Go and vote so that we can continue enjoying peace,” she added.
President Museveni, the NRM Presidential Flagbearer, used his address to outline the party’s progress over the last 40 years, beginning with the restoration of national stability. He warned against divisive politics, citing Sudan as an example of a once prosperous nation now engulfed in conflict due to ethnic and religious discrimination.
“Here, the situation had also deteriorated because of divisive politics, but we managed to calm it through creating a strong army and police,” he said.
On infrastructure development, Museveni highlighted government investments in Bushenyi, including the construction and repair of the Mbarara–Kasese road. He announced that the worn section between Mbarara and Bushenyi will soon be renovated, with funds available and a contractor already secured. He also confirmed the upcoming construction of the Kitabi–Kitagata–Rwamabondo road and urged local leaders to support government prioritisation to ensure key projects are completed efficiently.
Museveni questioned why electricity fluctuations continue despite sufficient national generation, promising to follow up with the responsible authorities.
He commended Bushenyi’s social infrastructure, noting the district’s 151 government-aided primary schools, 16 public secondary schools, 155 private primary schools and 67 private secondary schools—an indicator, he said, of residents’ increased wealth and ability to pay school fees. In health, he attributed the district’s growing population of 300,000 to improved services and widespread immunisation.
The President announced several upcoming health facility upgrades: Kajunju and Kashenyi Health Centre IIs will be elevated to Health Centre IIIs, three new Health Centre IIIs will be built, and one Health Centre IV will be upgraded to a district hospital.
Museveni cautioned that development does not automatically translate into household wealth. He urged residents to embrace commercial agriculture, referencing success stories like Matonga of Nakaseke and Minister Byamukama, who are using the four-acre model to generate income through dairy, coffee, poultry and piggery.
“For those with larger land, tea growing is a good option,” he said, adding that the Chinese Ambassador had assured him that China has not imposed taxes on Ugandan tea.
He noted that only 30% of Ugandans still operate outside the money economy and called for greater participation in wealth-creating sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services such as tourism and hospitality, and ICT.
Highlighting job creation, Museveni pointed to industrial parks as key sources of employment, noting that the Mbale Industrial Park alone employs 12,000 people. He revealed ongoing efforts to secure land for another industrial park to expand opportunities further.
President Museveni concluded by urging the people of Bushenyi to continue supporting the NRM’s economic and development agenda as the country heads toward the 2026 elections.
