By Jumah Kakomo and Kabuye Ronald
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential Candidate, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has officially launched his campaign trail in the Buganda Region with a maiden rally held at Kasambya Diocese Play Grounds in Mubende District.
Addressing supporters, President Museveni assured voters that the NRM government remains focused on scaling up development and wealth-creation enablers. He cited the delayed completion of the Mityana–Mubende road, attributing it to what he described as unfocused Members of Parliament who allegedly diverted funds to non-priority areas. He further confirmed that funding for tarmacking the Lusalira–Nkonge–Ssembabule road and other infrastructure projects in Mubende District has been secured.
Museveni warned opposition politicians against inciting electoral violence, noting that government has put in place tighter vote-protection mechanisms. He alleged that opposition actors manipulated electoral processes in the 2021 polls, claiming that 2.7 million votes were irregularly influenced due to system loopholes. He emphasized that in the forthcoming elections, only registered voters verified through the biometric system will be allowed to vote, in line with strict Electoral Commission guidelines.
The President also pledged to establish a public university in the Greater Mubende sub-region to expand access to higher education. He explained that this forms part of the NRM government’s broader strategy to set up a public university in each of Uganda’s 19 original sub-regions. To date, eleven such universities have been constructed, with Greater Mubende earmarked in the next phase.
In the health sector, Museveni committed to upgrading several health centres in Mubende District and promised to extend electricity to remaining unserved areas during his next term. He warned that any attempt to disrupt Uganda’s hard-earned peace would be “suicidal,” and cautioned against sectarian politics, reaffirming the NRM’s ideology of unity as the foundation of peace and development.
Highlighting economic transformation, Museveni said the government’s coffee farming initiative has elevated Uganda into one of Africa’s leading coffee producers. He urged farmers in Mubende and the wider Buganda region to intensify coffee production to boost household incomes and national economic growth. He added that NRM wealth-creation strategies are deliberately designed to drive socio-economic transformation across the country.
The President challenged voters to reject opportunists who exploit government programmes to mislead the public. He emphasized that commercial agriculture remains a key driver of job creation, citing successful farmers nationwide. He called on citizens to abandon subsistence living and actively participate in income-generating activities, guided by three principles: selecting profitable enterprises, efficient land use, and professional practices.
Meanwhile, NRM First National Vice Chairperson Alhaji Moses Kigongo urged party members to maintain discipline and avoid provocative behavior during the election period to secure a clean victory. Second National Vice Chairperson Anita Among outlined development priorities for Mubende District under the National Development Plan, while NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda Region Haruna Kasolo unveiled regional campaign strategies anchored in grassroots structures.
Kasolo reminded voters of Mubende’s historical ties to the NRM revolution and called on them to safeguard development gains. The rally concluded with the Mubende District NRM Chairperson, Thomas Ainebyona, presenting the district memorandum.
