LUWERO, UGANDA — In a move steeped in political symbolism and historical resonance, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni returned to the crucible of his revolutionary beginnings, Luwero, to launch his bid for another five-year term.
Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, chose the very soil where his National Resistance Army (NRA) waged a five-year guerrilla war that ultimately toppled the regime of Dr. Apollo Milton Obote.
As drums rolled and chants of “Mzee Oyee, No Change!” echoed through the Bukalasa Agricultural College playgrounds, Museveni arrived amidst cheers from thousands of yellow-clad supporters.
The skies had just opened with a heavy downpour, but the crowd, unfazed and undeterred, stood firm to welcome the man many here call “the grandfather of the nation.”
“This is not just a political rally, it’s a return to the roots,” said one of Museveni’s enthusiastic supporters.
To him, Museveni is symbolic of a true African leader who respects history, that is why he had to go back where he started from, to get blessings from his supporters and elders.
Despite the Buganda region increasingly leaning toward the opposition, the President’s political grip on Greater Luwero, where the NRA’s blood-stained victory path began, remains firm.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM), which Museveni founded, still commands loyalty among many elders who see it as the movement that restored peace and ushered in decades of stability.
On stage alongside Museveni were top NRM brass, religious leaders, cultural chiefs, and government officials.
Members of the Patriotic League Uganda (PLU), a growing political pressure group led by Museveni’s son and Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, also filled the front rows, signaling a potential generational continuity within the movement.
Museveni was dressed in his trademark yellow shirt, wide-brimmed hat, military jacket, and black trousers, a sartorial nod to both his civilian leadership and military legacy.
He arrived shortly after 3pm, apologizing for the delay and blaming it on “miscommunication by the organizers.
From the podium, the President extended a deeply personal message to the people of Luwero. “This is where it all started,” he said.
He thanked the people of Luwero for their supporting to come to power, stressing that because of them, his government has been able to build the foundation of a peaceful and stable Uganda.
He said it now to transform ‘that peace into prosperity.’
Fighting poverty, targeting corruption
Museveni’s speech struck a tone of economic transformation. Citing Uganda’s shift from a 9% money economy in 1962 to 67% today, he vowed to bring the remaining 33% into financial inclusion.
He urged citizens to adopt his “four-acre model” to fight poverty and promised expanded government support, particularly under the Parish Development Model (PDM).
He said they intend to increase PDM funds from shs100 million to Shs300 million per parish annually.
He also noted that shs15 million would be allocated per parish for local leaders to borrow.
However, Museveni didn’t shy away from the challenges. He noted that corruption, especially in the distribution of PDM funds and government drugs, remains a big problem, saying they are going to deal with it.
He also promised free distribution of coffee seedlings and emphasized Uganda’s industrial gains, citing over 5,000 operational factories, including electric vehicle production at Kiira Motors, and local manufacturing of shoes and garments.
He urged people to take part in various government programs, stressing that wealth creation increases the country’s tax base, which is used to construct road, power generation and distribution, and improving other public services.
Zero tolerance for education, health sector theft
Museveni took a hardline stance on public service delivery failures, particularly in education and health.
He warned head teachers against extorting fees from parents in Universal Primary and Secondary Schools, where education is meant to be free.
He implored that crowd to help government identify the thieves in their areas to easily wipe them out.
He said they are also going to hold accountable those stealing government drugs meant for public hospitals.
He reiterated that with the anticipated commercial oil production, Uganda would unlock vast new resources to finance development and social welfare programs.
A call for continuity
Rose Namayanja Nsereko, NRM’s Deputy Secretary General and also a resident of Luwero, praised Museveni’s “visionary leadership” that has shaped Luwero, and Uganda, into a hub of economic and social progress.
As he seeks to extend his 40-year tenure into 2026–2031, Museveni’s return to Luwero served not only as a campaign launch but also as a potent reminder of the revolutionary struggle that brought him to power.
Today he continues his campaign trail in Lango Sub Region…………………………………………………………
