Mbale City, November 10, 2025 — Hundreds of enthusiastic National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters today thronged Maluku Playgrounds in Mbale City to welcome the NRM Presidential Candidate and National Chairman, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, as he concluded his campaign trail in the Bugisu Sub-region.
As usual, the day’s campaign task force was led by Mr. Emmanuel Dombo, who coordinated the event and mobilized the local leadership and supporters across the region.
The President, who holds the NRM Presidential flag for 2026–2031, was accompanied by his daughter, Ms. Natasha Karugire, as he was warmly received by the cheering crowd waving the party’s signature yellow colors and placards of support.
During the rally, local leaders from Mbale City/District sought the President’s attention regarding key service delivery issues, particularly in infrastructure, water, education, and health facilities. They appreciated government efforts so far but called for additional health facilities
NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, led by Hon. Calvin Echodu, reaffirmed the commitment of Mbale City and the entire Bugisu region towards the protection of the gains achieved under the NRM Government over the past four decades.
In his address, President Museveni reminded the people of Mbale and Bugisu that the pacification of Uganda was not an easy task, emphasizing that peace remains the foundation upon which all other progress is built.
“For the past forty years, Uganda has enjoyed peace because we rejected sectarianism, religious segregation, and gender disparity. The politics of stability has given birth to progress. It is this peace that has enabled our security agencies to serve effectively and protect every Ugandan,” President Museveni said.
The President used the occasion to highlight four major contributions of the NRM to Uganda—Peace, Development, Wealth Creation, and Social Transformation.
- Peace and Security
For four decades, peace and political stability have prevailed across Uganda, allowing citizens to engage freely in trade, education, and community development. The President reminded supporters that the peace they enjoy today must be jealously guarded and never taken for granted.
- Development
President Museveni explained that development consists of economic and social infrastructure.
Economic Infrastructure
He listed several projects as testimony to the NRM’s development agenda in Mbale and Bugisu, including:
Rehabilitation of the Mbale–Tororo and Mbale–Soroti roads
Tarmacking of Nakalama Road, which was previously murram
Bumbobi–Bubulo–Butiru Road (tarmac completed)
Nalugugu–Budadiri–Namagumba construction, ongoing
Upcoming roads: Nabumali–Butaleja–Namutumba (90 km), Mbale–Nkokonjeru (20 km), Bubulo–Bududa Circular (28 km), and Magale–Kufu–Namisindwa–Bukhaweka–Bumbo roads
On water access, Museveni revealed that out of 613 villages in Mbale, 484 (79%) have access to clean water, while the remaining 129 villages are targeted for immediate intervention. Piped water projects in Nakaloke, Bubibiri, Munyanda, and Nabumali are ongoing, alongside Busui, Nakaloke, and Nabumali water plant expansions.
He further noted progress in water for production projects, such as Wabukasa Solar Project, Nankunsi, Kibumbile, and the Namatala Irrigation Scheme, which aim to support agriculture and fight food insecurity.
Museveni also mentioned that work on the railway lines from Tororo to Gulu and Malaba to Kampala is underway to improve cargo transport and regional trade.
Social Infrastructure
On social infrastructure, the President reported that Mbale District has 69 government schools, while Mbale City has 59, totaling 128 government schools—a demonstration of the NRM’s education policy ensuring each parish and sub-county has a learning institution.
In secondary education, 16 schools are in Mbale District and five in Mbale City, making a total of 21 government-aided secondary schools.
He reiterated that the NRM remains committed to free and quality education to empower the next generation.
- Wealth Creation
President Museveni distinguished between development (which benefits the nation collectively) and wealth (which must reach individual homes).
“Don’t be diverted by development alone. Development is general, but wealth is personal—to your family, company, and homestead,” he said.
He urged the people of Mbale to embrace poverty alleviation programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Etandikwa, and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) to lift every household into the money economy.
He revealed that UGX 15 million PDM funds have been allocated per local government structure in addition to the UGX 100 million Presidential Initiative package, along with new Religious and Cultural Leaders Funds and a Graduate Fund to support unemployed youth.
Museveni noted that 67% of Ugandans are now in the money economy, up from 32% previously, while coffee production has grown from 2 million to 12 million bags annually.
- Jobs and Industrialisation
The President explained that sustainable jobs are created through industrialisation, services, commercial agriculture, and ICT.
He cited the Sino–Mbale Industrial Park, which now hosts 75 factories employing over 12,000 young people, as a success story of NRM’s industrial policy.
“Jobs can not all come from government. The government employs only 480,000 people—just one percent of the population. Real jobs must come from private investment supported by peace, infrastructure, and skills,” he noted.
In conclusion, President Museveni thanked the people of Mbale for their massive turnout and support, urging them to vote NRM to protect the gains of the past 40 years and to continue building Uganda’s future.
“Pacifying Uganda was not easy, and we must protect what we have achieved. Let’s not look back. Let’s move forward with unity, discipline, and hard work. Together, we shall secure the future,” he said.