KASESE DISTRICT: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, has launched his 2026 campaign trail in the Rwenzori sub-region, beginning with a major rally at Nyakasanga Playground in Kasese District.
While addressing supporters, General Museveni said that those who claim the NRM has contributed nothing to Uganda are “sick and misinformed.” He explained that when his government introduced Operation Wealth Creation, 68 percent of Ugandans were working only for subsistence, whereas today 70 percent work for both the stomach and the pocket, leaving only 30 percent in pure subsistence. Museveni was accompanied at the rally by his daughter, Natasha Museveni Karugire.
The President also spoke about job creation, noting that government can only provide about 480,000 jobs far below what is needed for a population of 50 million. He argued that government jobs are consumptive in nature and do not generate further employment, adding that real job creation comes from individuals and private companies.
Museveni reminded the people of Kasese of the peace the NRM has delivered and protected over the years. He said residents have witnessed refugees fleeing insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Uganda currently hosting around 700,000 Congolese refugees who cannot return home.
He added that the government has defeated the groups that previously attempted to destabilize the region and warned that anyone who tries to disturb the peace will be dealt with decisively. Comparing Uganda to a bunch of ripe yellow bananas, Museveni said anyone who attempts to grab what is not theirs will have their hand struck.
Turning to development, the President highlighted NRM’s efforts in improving roads, electricity, telecommunications, water supply, the railway network, airports, and airstrips.
“He noted that the road from Fort Portal to Kasese has been upgraded twice, and the roads to Katunguru and Bushenyi–Ishaka have also been improved twice. The Kikorongo–Bwera road was worked on earlier but later became damaged, and it will be repaired again. He added that work has also been done on the Fort Portal–Bundibugyo road in the mountainous areas.”
Museveni blamed delays in some infrastructure projects on MPs who, he said, do not understand how government operates and focus on salary increments instead of supporting critical development priorities such as roads.
He added that many NRM leaders are now beginning to understand the party’s methods. He emphasized that tarmac roads have already reached Kasese, improving connectivity to the national road network, but noted that the district still needs more road construction equipment and increased annual funding for road works.
On water and electricity, Museveni revealed that the national railway line is being renovated, with work already underway on the Malaba–Kampala section. He said plans are in place to extend railway services to the Rwenzori region and to construct a Standard Gauge Railway in Kasese. He also announced that an airport will be built in Kasese to support tourism activities, explaining that Hoima Airport was prioritized first due to oil development needs.
The President highlighted the district’s numerous government schools, 260 primary and 25 secondary and promised more. He added that Kasese has a government hospital and multiple Health Centre IIIs and IIs, and that further improvements will continue.
Museveni told residents that what matters most to the NRM is having the right direction and destination. He cautioned that development alone does not automatically create wealth, saying that tarmac roads passing through an area do not guarantee prosperity. Those who have followed government advice, he said, are doing well because they work “for both the stomach and the pocket.”
He reiterated the four-acre model as a pathway to household wealth. According to Museveni, families should allocate one acre to coffee, another to food crops, another to pasture, and the last to poultry, piggery, or fish farming. According to President, NRM has significantly contributed to wealth creation in Uganda, with many people earning from coffee, which in turn boosts government revenue through increased exports.
