Published on 07/11/2025
The Manager Office of the National Chairman (ONC), SPA Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, has today held grassroots engagement with several groups of bazzukulu in Mbale and met hundreds of vendors at Mbale Central Market, where she listened to their challenges and rallied support for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s ongoing message of socio-economic transformation.
During the visit, the vendors referred to by Namyalo as Bazzukulu ba Museveni decried several challenges affecting their livelihoods. Among the key issues raised were lack of water in the market, excessive fees and levies imposed by the town council, and additional payments for utilities such as electricity, garbage collection, and security.
Many vendors also lamented that they had not benefited from government programs, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), and appealed directly to President Museveni to provide startup capital to help boost their small businesses.
The vendors further complained about the poor state of market infrastructure, citing leaking roofs and general neglect.
“PDM neglected market vendors. The chairpersons of the parishes exclude us because we don’t belong to their villages. So how can we benefit?” one vendor told Hajjat Namyalo.
In her response, Hajjat Namyalo assured the vendors that President Museveni was aware of their concerns and committed to addressing them. She urged them, however, to continue supporting the President’s leadership to ensure that such issues are resolved effectively.
“As Bazzukulu, you have a right to demand from your Jajja (grandfather) because he is committed to uplifting you from poverty,” Namyalo said. “Your challenges will soon be sorted but only if you stand firm with him.”
She further vowed to report officials allegedly exploiting market vendors, accusing some local council leaders of being “enemies of progress” for overcharging traders while offering little in return.
“It is unacceptable that a market built by President Museveni to empower his Bazzukulu has become a source of their suffering,” she said. “The ONC will not sit in offices; we shall be on the ground, listening to the people.”
Following her market engagement, Namyalo proceeded to St. Andrew’s Cell Garage, where she met another group of Bazzukulu who echoed similar frustrations.
The garage operators complained that despite past promises, they had never received toolkits, startup capital, or land that President Museveni pledged to allocate to them along Kumi Road. They accused local leaders of failing to relay their concerns to higher authorities.
“For the last 40 years of NRM leadership, we have not benefited anything tangible,” said one garage worker, Sirajje.
Speaking in response, Hajjat Namyalo confirmed that the President had indeed promised to provide the land and startup support during a youth symposium and pledged to follow up personally to ensure delivery.
“President Museveni promised to engage the council to resolve the issue of the Kumi Road land,” she said. “If those responsible failed to implement his pledge, this is the right time to demand accountability.”
She emphasized that her visit aimed to verify whether the presidential pledges had been fulfilled and to identify any corruption or negligence that might have hindered the process.
“I am sure the President passed on these pledges, but somewhere in the system, there is a blockage,” Namyalo told the crowd. “I pledge to trace and ensure the benefits reach those they were meant for.”
The ONC Manager reaffirmed her commitment to working closely with local communities to monitor the implementation of government programs and to keep President Museveni informed about the realities on the ground.
