Published on 22/11/2025
Iganga – A mammoth crowd on Friday poured into Iganga District to welcome President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as he wrapped up the final day of his Busoga campaign tour.
Thousands of enthusiastic supporters thronged the district headquarters, turning the entire town centre into a sea of yellow long before his convoy arrived.
The atmosphere was electric—cheers, chants and NRM flags waving high—as the President stepped onto the podium.
Museveni thanked Busoga for its steadfast support and used the moment to reflect not only on current progress but also on the difficult journey that brought the country to where it is today.
In a rare and vivid recollection, the President narrated how Iganga played a part during the dangerous years of struggle.
He told the crowd of a time in the early 1970s when Uganda was engulfed in insecurity under past regimes, and when he secretly passed through Iganga with 12 machine guns smuggled from Tanzania en-route to Kampala.
To avoid detection, he disguised himself as a traveller, hid the weapons in a garage in town, and spent the day at the local clubhouse pretending to wait for a bus to Namasagali.
“I could not enter Kampala during the day with guns,” he recounted. “I waited here in Iganga until nightfall. This town helped hide us when the country was in turmoil.”
The crowd erupted—some in disbelief, others in admiration—at the memory of a time when safety was uncertain and survival depended on strategy and courage.
Museveni contrasted those dark days with the peace Uganda now enjoys, affirming that peace remains the first and most important achievement of the NRM.
He reminded the audience that without peace, the country could not have built roads, extended electricity, repaired the railway, expanded schools, or delivered safe water across villages.
He highlighted the improved infrastructure in Busoga, including the already-funded Iganga–Kamacwa–Kamuli road, increased rural electrification, and safe water coverage reaching most villages.
He also pointed out the need to ensure every parish gets at least one government primary school, with new secondary schools already planned for the district.
As he wound up his message, the President urged Busoga to use the peace and infrastructure now in place to focus on wealth creation through programmes like PDM and Emyooga.
The overwhelming turnout reaffirmed the region’s strong ties with the NRM, closing the tour on a high note.
Projects in Iganga
1. Parish Development Model (PDM)
100% disbursement of Shs. 12.956 billion to 12,956 beneficiary households in Iganga District.
100% disbursement of Shs. 3.382 billion to 3,387 households in Iganga Municipality.
16,343 households (12%) have already benefited from PDM.
2. Emyooga
Formation of 54 Emyooga SACCOs with 31,980 members.
Government has disbursed Shs. 2.42 billion to these SACCOs.
3. Education Sector
Primary Education
99 government primary schools in Iganga District.
7 government primary schools in Iganga Municipality.
31 out of 42 parishes in the district have a government primary school.
5 out of 11 parishes in the municipality have a government primary school.
Secondary Education
9 government secondary schools in Iganga District.
7 of these offer USE and UPOLET, with 11,147 learners enrolled.
1 government secondary school in Iganga Municipality.
7 out of 9 sub-counties in the district have a government secondary school.
1 out of 2 sub-counties in the municipality has one.
Seed Schools
Construction of 3 Seed Secondary Schools underway (classified as achievement because project initiated and advancing).
4. Health Sector
Iganga has:
1 hospital
1 HCIV
10 HCIIIs
Only 1 sub-county lacks HCIII or higher.
This shows significant expansion of health coverage.
5. Water Sector — Completed Projects
Drilled 42 new boreholes.
Rehabilitated 24 boreholes.
Constructed 3 piped water systems in Mawaito, Nawandala, and Kazigo RGCs.
Constructed Iganga Municipality Piped Water Supply & Sanitation System, benefiting 62,000 people.
Constructed Mbulamuti Piped Water System, serving 11,926 people.
Operationalized Kisozi Water Supply System, serving 10,800 people.
Rural water coverage stands at 77%, with 178 of 231 villages having safe water.
6. Water for Production
Construction of Ibako Demonstration Site (10 acres) in Busesa Sub-County.
7. Energy Sector
District connected to the National Grid.
9 out of 11 sub-counties already have electricity.
