When evening falls over Kamwenge, elders often recall the nights when fear governed the rhythm of life, when footsteps in the dark could mean an ADF rebel unit slipping through the trees. Those memories surfaced again on Monday, but this time as reminders of how far the district has come. Leaders and residents gathered to celebrate a reality once unimaginable, a Kamwenge where children sleep peacefully and farmers work without fear.
Agriculture Minister and Kamwenge District NRM Chairperson, Frank Tumwebaze, said the district’s safety stems from President Yoweri Museveni’s rapid military response when ADF rebels attempted to infiltrate the area.
“I would like to thank the President for defeating the ADF rebels,” Tumwebaze said. “When the rebels attacked us, he quickly deployed soldiers, and within hours they had dismantled and neutralized the threat.”
He added that President Museveni’s firm stance against sectarianism had strengthened unity in Kamwenge. “When we came here, we found the Batooro community, and today we are working together as one united force,” he said.
Tumwebaze highlighted economic progress driven by commercial agriculture, the Parish Development Model (PDM), and improved infrastructure. Kamwenge, he noted, has so far received Shs 21 billion under PDM, supporting 18,000 households. He said residents now sell large quantities of milk as their earnings grow.
He also revealed that more than 70 percent of the long-awaited Kamwenge–Kihuura road has been completed. To protect the district from future threats, Tumwebaze asked the President to establish a permanent military base along the forest line.
Museveni Reassures Kamwenge
Addressing supporters in Kamwenge Town Council, President Museveni reaffirmed that peace remains the NRM’s greatest achievement, especially for districts near unstable borders.
“The people of Kamwenge know very well the value of peace,” he said. “You have seen what happens in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because of that instability, many refugees are camped here, they have no peace in their own country.”
Museveni accepted Tumwebaze’s request for a military battalion near Kibale National Park and directed district leaders to identify land for the facility.
He also outlined ongoing and planned road improvements, including the Lyantonde–Ibanda–Kamwenge road and the Kihuura road, which he said would be addressed.
On wealth creation, the President urged residents to adopt irrigation and produce for the market. He said Uganda’s coffee, maize and milk output continues to grow because more farmers now treat agriculture as a business. He pointed to the Presidential Banana Initiative in Bushenyi, where irrigating farmers harvest nearly ten times more bananas than those relying on rain.
“Don’t work only for the stomach,” he told residents. “Work for both the stomach and the pocket.”
Museveni advised youth to shift their focus from limited government jobs and instead pursue opportunities in industry and tourism. He cited Mbale Industrial Park, which employs more than 40,000 workers, as an example of where many young people can thrive.
He noted that Kamwenge can harness the tourism potential of Kibale Forest to create jobs in hospitality and related services.
Museveni closed by reminding residents that he is a farmer too. “I produce milk, beef, and bananas. That is my wealth and contribution to the country and I also employ people,” he said.
