President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the people of Ngora District and the wider Teso Sub-region to continue supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to sustain peace, stability, and wealth creation across Uganda.
Addressing thousands of supporters on Tuesday in Ngora District as part of his campaign tour of Teso, the NRM presidential flag bearer said Uganda’s transformation under the NRM has been made possible through consistent investment in peace, infrastructure, and community-based livelihood programs.
“Politics is not about the words of politicians just talking. The politics of the NRM is about solving people’s problems by showing them the way and assisting them in every possible way,” President Museveni said.
Empowerment Through Programs
Museveni said the NRM’s approach has always been practical, empowering citizens through initiatives such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, Women Fund, Youth Fund, and now the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“All these programs are meant for you to get out of poverty. If you support NRM, we shall continue,” he said.
He announced plans to expand support under PDM by adding Shs 15 million to the current Shs 100 million per parish, and to establish new specialized funds for fishermen, religious institutions, cultural leaders, and unemployed university graduates.
Peace and Stability
Reflecting on Teso’s turbulent past, Museveni recalled the days when Ngora and neighboring districts suffered from insurgencies led by rebel groups such as Alice Lakwena’s Holy Spirit Movement.
“You people of Ngora and Kumi are witnesses to what was happening here. Those were difficult times, but together we managed to get peace,” he said.
“It was the NRM, together with the people, that brought this peace. That’s why we no longer have camps for displaced people.”
He said peace remains the cornerstone of development and the reason Ugandans can now focus on education, farming, and entrepreneurship.
Infrastructure and Social Transformation
President Museveni cited improved infrastructure as the second major pillar of Uganda’s transformation under NRM. He said the Kumi–Ngora–Serere–Kagwara road project has been secured and awaits a contractor, while other key routes have connected Teso to Lango, Soroti, and Karamoja.
“Our former battleground is now a place of development. The tarmac roads now reach up to Kumi, Soroti, Lango, and even Karamoja,” Museveni said.
Ngora, he added, is now connected to the national power grid, with almost all sub-counties electrified. On water access, the district’s coverage stands at 90%, and new solar-powered systems are under construction in Mukura and Olilim, alongside the ambitious Lake Kyoga Multi-purpose Gravity Flow Scheme that will serve Ngora, Serere, Kumi, and Bukedea.
Education and Health Priorities
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to free education, Museveni decried the continued charging of fees in public schools, calling it a betrayal of Universal Primary and Secondary Education.
Ngora currently has 59 government primary schools, 6 government secondary schools, and ongoing construction of a Seed Secondary School to expand access. Traditional institutions like Ngora High School and Ngora School for the Deaf are slated for rehabilitation.
Regarding the health sector, Museveni announced plans to upgrade Opot and Atoot Health Centre IIs to Health Centre IIIs and to construct new facilities in Agirigiroi, Morukakise, and Ngora Sub-counties, as part of efforts to ensure each sub-county has a health facility.
“The school and health centre are for all of us, but what is private and personal is either wealth or poverty. You must engage in income-generating activities to chase poverty from your homes,” he advised.
From Development to Wealth
The President encouraged citizens to participate in one of the four key wealth-creation sectors, commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT, emphasizing that personal effort drives prosperity.
He cited the example of Joseph Ijala, a farmer in Serere District, who earns over Shs 6.8 million daily from poultry and dairy production.
“This man is deep inside Serere, not near a tarmac road, but wealth is there. You too can do it,” he said.
Under PDM, Ngora’s 73 parishes have received Shs 22.4 billion, benefiting 22,395 households, nearly 70% of all homes in the district. The Emyooga program has supported 36 SACCOs with Shs 1.68 billion, empowering over 7,500 members.
Cattle Restocking and Compensation
Museveni said government will resume cattle compensation for families in Teso, Lango, and Acholi using a new uniform approach.
“Each household that lost animals will receive five cows. This is the fairest and most efficient way to restore livelihoods,” he announced.
Local Leadership and Unity
NRM Eastern Vice Chairperson Calvin Echodu praised Ngora for being the first district in Teso to establish an NRM office, while District Chairperson Okello John Michael thanked the President for programs transforming livelihoods.
Ngora’s Political Outlook
Ngora District, with a population of 213,777, has seen its voter register grow from 72,976 in 2021 to 85,696 in 2025, reflecting increased political mobilization ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In the 2021 polls, Museveni won 57.1% of the vote in Ngora, and the NRM hopes to strengthen that support through ongoing grassroots programs.
