Museveni to Kisoro: Ask Opposition Candidates what They’ve Done for Uganda
KISORO: President Museveni launched his western-region campaign on Monday with an appeal to voters to renew the ruling National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) mandate, arguing that the party remains central to maintaining stability and steering the country toward higher economic growth.
Addressing a large crowd at Saaza Grounds in Kisoro District, the 80-year-old leader — in power since 1986 and seeking another term in the 2026 elections — said Uganda still needed the NRM to “protect the gains” of the past four decades and push the country toward high middle-income status.
“The reasons we are here are to ask you to support the National Resistance Movement and to give you the reasons why,” Museveni said.
“People move around saying, ‘support me,’ but ask them what they have done for the country. Uganda has had many problems – sugar shortages, cement, salt, clothes, but we have solved many of them.”
Museveni said his campaign theme, “Protecting the Gains as We Make a Qualitative Leap into a High Middle-Income Status,” reflected the need for continuity and discipline as the government prioritises household-level wealth creation.
“You, the people of Kisoro, know the importance of peace,” he said, praising local support for government efforts to secure the border area.
Museveni cited investments in transport, electricity, communication and education as key development gains. He pointed to upgrades on the Kampala–Mbarara–Kisoro corridor and pledged completion of ongoing works on the Kabale–Kisoro–Mgahinga National Park road and the Kisoro–Muko–Rukiri–Katoojo route. But he raised concerns about gaps in education access, noting that of Kisoro’s 71 parishes, 26 still have no government primary school.
At the secondary level, 10 out of 24 sub-counties lack a government school. “Government schools should be distributed fairly,” he said.
Returning to a regular campaign message, Museveni urged voters to differentiate between infrastructure development and household wealth. “We have tarmac roads up to Bunagana and Cyanika to Kabale, but people don’t sleep on the road,” he said. “That is why NRM emphasises wealth creation for every household.”
He highlighted examples of smallholder farmers who had adopted commercial agriculture, including a dairy farmer in Nakaseke earning about 21 million shillings a month, and a Kamuli poultry producer who now employs 300 people and sells more than 100,000 eggs a day.
Museveni also pointed to growing employment from industrialisation, saying factories now employ 1.3 million Ugandans compared to 480,000 on the government payroll. He cited the Sino-Mbale Industrial Park, which hosts more than 75 factories, as evidence of manufacturing expansion.
He said young people trained at presidential skilling hubs were increasingly entering trades such as welding, tailoring, carpentry, hairdressing and construction, contributing to small-enterprise growth.
“With your support, we shall consolidate the achievements and continue transforming Uganda,” Museveni said.
Senior NRM officials accompanied the president at the rally and urged the region to back his 2026 bid.
