When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni stood before supporters in Namayingo on Wednesday, he paused to recall a moment that had once threatened his life. Decades earlier, near Musita, Idi Amin’s soldiers had stopped him on the same road. “That road was once a battlefield,” he said. “I remember being stopped by Amin’s soldiers. When they tried to cause trouble, my colleague acted quickly and the whole group fled.”
Today, that former combat zone is a smooth tarmac stretch on the Musita–Mayuge–Namayingo–Lumino–Busia road. For the President, the transformation symbolises how far the country has moved from conflict to calm.
Museveni told the crowd at Namayingo Primary School Grounds that the district’s journey mirrors the wider national shift from insecurity to steady development. He was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni.
He reminded residents that Namayingo had endured violence ranging from Lakwena’s incursions in Muterere to FOBA rebels who crossed from Kenya. “This area has seen hard times,” he said. “Today all that is history. Whatever you are doing, keep the peace, because it is peace that allows us to build and progress.”
Health and Education Gains
Museveni commended Namayingo for expanding health services, noting that out of 11 sub-counties, the district now has one HCIV and eight HCIIIs. “It seems the leaders of Namayingo have been quite serious,” he said. He announced upgrades for four facilities, including Mutumba and Sigulu, which will be elevated to HCIV status.
The district now has a digital X-ray machine at Buyinja HCIV and a fully staffed HCIV in Bukooli South, equipped with four doctors and an ambulance.
On education, the President said Namayingo has 84 government primary schools and 129 private ones. Out of 50 parishes, 31 have at least one government primary school. Seven government secondary schools provide USE and UPOLET to 4,958 learners.
Household Wealth and Local Leadership
Museveni urged households to embrace the “Four-Acre Model” to shift from subsistence to prosperity. “One acre for coffee, one for fruits, one for food crops, and one for pasture and livestock,” he said. He encouraged families with small land to adopt poultry, piggery, and fish farming.
The President also handed over NRM flags to district candidates, endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections.
A Call to Protect Peace
Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni asked residents to value peace and unity. “We thank the Lord for a day like this, when we come to remember what the NRM means to Uganda,” she said. She praised the district’s efforts to instil discipline and patriotism among schoolchildren. “That unity is what protects our peace,” she said.
She thanked the residents for the large turnout. “When I see you in such big numbers, I thank God. He has given you the wisdom to hear what the President has for you,” she said. She urged the community to continue supporting the NRM.
The First Lady also warned against taking stability for granted, noting that Uganda’s peace has made it a refuge for those fleeing conflict. “There are many refugees coming here because there is peace that is not in their nations, so we cannot play with peace and our unity,” she said.
Leaders Praise Development Momentum
NRM First National Vice Chairperson Al-Haji Moses Kigongo urged discipline and unity among leaders. “Let us be united and not divided for the good of this country,” he said.
Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, thanked residents for their consistent support. “Thank you for supporting the NRM. Please continue contributing so that the party can deliver more services closer to the people,” she said.
Namayingo District NRM Chairperson Raymond Mugisa highlighted the district’s expanding population, now at 266,716 people, and its growing service footprint. He reported that Shs 15.3bn had been disbursed to 15,409 households, signalling strong participation in the money economy.
Water, Irrigation and Power
Out of 306 villages, 218 now have safe water. Completed works include drilling 24 boreholes, rehabilitating 105 water sources and installing piped systems in Namayingo Town Council, Sigulu and Bumalenge. Ongoing projects include the Lolwe Island piped system and the Bukana Water Supply Scheme.
New solar-powered irrigation schemes in Dohwe and Mulwanda are supporting modern farming, with more demonstration sites planned across the district.
Electricity access is also spreading. Seven of the 11 sub-counties are connected to the national grid, with plans to connect Bukana, Sigulu Islands, Banda and Buhemba in the next kisanja.
The event drew thousands of supporters, alongside NRM Central Executive Committee members, Members of Parliament and religious and cultural leaders.
