By Jumah Kakomo/ Kabuye Ronald
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party presidential candidate, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has commended the leaders and people of Karenga District and the wider Karamoja Sub-region for supporting the government’s disarmament efforts that have ushered in peace, stability, and ongoing development in the area.
Speaking during his presidential campaign rally at Jubilee 2000 Secondary School in Karenga District, President Museveni noted that a number of youths in Karamoja were previously lured into cattle rustling and theft by ill-intentioned individuals seeking to destabilize the region. He emphasized that the NRM government decisively intervened, restoring peace and order.
Museveni urged the people of Karenga to continue supporting the NRM for sustained stability and economic transformation, vowing never to allow armed groups to re-emerge in the sub-region. He reiterated that the UPDF would maintain a presence in Karamoja to safeguard peace and facilitate continuous development and wealth creation.
The NRM presidential candidate also pledged to fast-track key hospitality and infrastructure projects in Karenga, including the operationalization of an international airport at Kidepo National Game Park. These efforts, he said, aim to boost tourism, create jobs, and expand wealth creation opportunities for the people of Karamoja.
Museveni further highlighted major road construction projects currently underway in the region, such as the Kitgum–Namukora and Moroto–Katido–Karenga roads, which are expected to improve connectivity and trade. He called on residents to prepare to benefit from these massive development interventions.
In his address, Museveni assured the electorate of continued social and economic infrastructure development in his next term, including a commitment to end charges in government schools. He noted that the NRM government’s investments in health and education had significantly improved the quality of life in Karenga through better healthcare services and access to education.
He also promised to increase the number of primary and secondary schools, construct a government technical school in Karenga, and ensure the completion of the electric wire fence around Kidepo National Game Park.
Encouraging residents to embrace modern cattle rearing practices, Museveni urged the people of Karenga to abandon nomadism and adopt wealth creation strategies such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) to improve household incomes. He emphasized the economic importance of wildlife conservation as a key driver of tourism and community development.
Meanwhile, NRM National Vice Chairperson for Karamoja Sub-region John Baptist Loki cautioned the electorate against voting for opportunistic opposition politicians, emphasizing that the current peace and progress are a result of the NRM’s leadership.
Dodoth West MP Baatom Kolyang presented the district’s development status report, highlighting key priorities for consideration in the next NRM term.
The NRM Secretary General, Richard Todwong, also called on the party chairperson and presidential candidate to help resolve internal party factions in Karenga District to ensure unity and effective mobilization ahead of the elections.
