As the afternoon sun beat down on the playground of Wiggins Secondary School in Kumi Town, a cheerful crowd erupted into applause when President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni took to the podium. It was not just another campaign rally, it was a reunion between the NRM flag bearer and the people he once shared trenches with in the long march toward peace.
“I salute the people of Teso because they worked with the army to bring peace in this part of the world,” President Museveni said, recalling his days stationed at Nyero Rocks. “When I camped at Nyero, I told the people to build a full primary school there. Working together, we brought peace.”
The President praised Teso for its resilience during Uganda’s turbulent past, describing the region as a symbol of unity and recovery. “NRM brought peace because of our correct politics and ideology,” he added.
From Peace to Progress
Museveni said peace had laid the foundation for economic transformation, enabling massive investments in infrastructure such as roads, power lines, telecommunication, and water systems.
“After peace, came development, the electricity, the telephones, the railway, and the water systems. That is all part of economic infrastructure,” he emphasized.
The President listed key achievements in Teso, including the rehabilitation of the Tororo–Soroti road, the tarmacking of Soroti–Katakwi–Moroto and Tirinyi–Pallisa–Kamonkoli–Kumi roads, and assured residents that government had already secured funds for the Kumi–Ngora–Serere–Kagwara–Bugondo road.
“The money is there; we are just looking for a company to execute the work,” he said.
Powering Rural Communities
Museveni said Kumi was steadily benefiting from rural electrification, with most sub-counties already connected to the grid.
“Electricity has reached South and North Divisions, Nyero, Atutur, and Oboma. The plan is to extend it to all ten sub-counties that are not yet connected,” he explained.
He urged local leaders to fast-track water access, noting that only 47 percent of Kumi’s 325 villages have safe water. “Leaders need to find out why the coverage here is lower than in Ngora, where it’s up to 90 percent,” he said.
To boost supply, the President announced plans for the Lake Kyoga Multipurpose Gravity Flow Scheme, which will provide piped water to Kumi, Serere, Ngora, and Bukedea. “We pumped water from River Kagera up to Mbarara — through hills — so this one will be easy because Teso is flat,” he noted.
Education and Health Gaps to Close
Turning to education, the President said the government aims to ensure every parish and sub-county in Kumi has at least one public school.
“Kumi has 75 government primary schools, but out of 140 parishes, only 48 have one. Our plan is one primary school per parish and one secondary school per sub-county,” he assured.
In the health sector, he said government will upgrade several Health Centre IIs to IIIs and construct new facilities in Kanapa, Mukongoro, and Kanyum, adding that only one hospital currently serves 18 sub-counties.
Existing projects such as Kumi Municipality Piped Water Supply, serving over 39,000 residents, and systems in Nyero, Ongino, and Mukongoro are already transforming access to safe water.
Skilling and Wealth Creation
President Museveni commended testimonies like that of Bena Apolot, a graduate of the Soroti Presidential Skilling Hub, who started a salon business with just UGX 300,000 and grew it steadily.
He said such success stories show how government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and skilling hubs are empowering citizens.
“Development and peace must translate into wealth for every household. That’s why we introduced programs like the PDM to ensure no Ugandan is left behind,” he said.
Local Voices and Party Endorsements
During the event, President Museveni handed NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other candidates, officially endorsing their bids for the upcoming elections.
Christine Apolot, the NRM spokesperson for Kumi District, praised the President for restoring peace and guiding the region’s recovery.
“We warmly welcome you to Kumi, which is one of your homes. We appreciate your excellent leadership and your role in restoring peace after the difficult times of insurgencies, cattle rustling, and insecurity,” she said.
She appealed for more government support in education and health. “We request the construction of primary schools in 70 parishes, secondary schools in seven sub-counties, and expansion of our general hospitals to cater for the growing population,” she added.
The rally drew NRM Central Executive Committee members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, and thousands of enthusiastic supporters.
