KAKUMIRO — More than 100,000 supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) turned up at Kakeeka Playgrounds in Kakumiro District for a campaign rally addressed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Speaking to journalists shortly before the arrival of President Museveni, Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja said the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential flag bearer, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, is unlikely to secure any meaningful support in Kakumiro District during the January 15, 2026 presidential elections.
Nabbanja, who also serves as the Woman Member of Parliament for Kakumiro District, said the people of Kakumiro are solidly behind President Museveni. She noted that several leaders and supporters who previously backed Kyagulanyi have since defected to the NRM after realising they had been misled.
She attributed this shift to the visible development the district has experienced under President Museveni’s leadership.
“Kakumiro has taken off,” Nabbanja said. “You no longer hear stories of people living in grass-thatched houses. Residents have built decent homes roofed with iron sheets.”
The Prime Minister highlighted significant improvements in infrastructure, including roads, health facilities, and schools. She noted that Kakumiro District, which has 24 sub-counties, now has 20 health centres, 17 fully constructed by the central government and three constructed by her as a Prime Minister.
She further explained that the district has 105 parishes, of which 85 already have government primary schools. The remaining, mainly newly created parishes, are expected to receive schools during President Museveni’s next term.
“This clearly shows that government presence in Kakumiro is strong and effective under President Museveni,” Nabbanja said.
Before addressing the rally, President Museveni commissioned the Kakumiro District Administration Block, a project worth Shs3.5 billion.
Addressing the President at the rally, Prime Minister Nabbanja pledged Kakumiro’s support to the NRM, thanking him for granting the area district status and for major infrastructure investments, including the 107-kilometre Mubende–Kakumiro–Kagadi road. She also announced that the Kakumiro–Nkooko–Kisiita road has been included in the next national development plan.
She revealed that Stecia Mayanja, President of the National Peasants’ Party, officially joined the NRM at the event. Nabbanja also commended the Parish Development Model (PDM), noting that many Ugandans are embracing the programme, though she cautioned against leaders demanding kickbacks from beneficiaries. She called for additional funding to the land fund.
Nabbanja further thanked the President for protecting forests through policies that promote value addition, noting that 45 factories have been established in the area, providing hundreds of jobs. However, she said manufacturers remain concerned about unfair competition from cheaply imported products.
NRM Chairperson for Kakumiro District, Fred Byamukama, who also serves as State Minister for Transport and works, praised President Museveni for restoring peace and stability in the region, recalling the insecurity experienced in 1986 and during the ADF insurgency in 2000.
“We thank the President for the 655 kilometres of tarmacked roads in Bunyoro, Kabale International Airport, and the administration block commissioned today,” Byamukama said.
He added that Kakumiro District currently has 80 irrigation schemes and electricity coverage of 66 per cent, expressing optimism that further investments will boost agricultural productivity.
In the 2021 presidential elections, Kakumiro District had 140,691 registered voters, of whom 89,447 (63.6 per cent) cast their ballots. President Museveni secured 73,132 votes, representing 84.9 per cent of the total votes cast.
By 2025, the district’s voter register had grown to 174,170 voters—an increase of 33,479. NRM leaders said the massive turnout at the Kakumiro rally signals overwhelming support for the party ahead of the 2026 elections.
