In the humid afternoon air of Katwe Village, an elderly sugarcane farmer clutched his walking stick and nodded as President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni repeated a promise many growers feared had been forgotten. That reassurance that the 5% deductions once imposed on their harvests were no more, set the tone for the President’s latest campaign stop in Mayuge District.
President Museveni told thousands of residents that his directive scrapping the so-called “trash levy” remains firmly in place. He noted that the government halted the deductions after extensive discussions with both farmers and millers. “The government will also build ponds because you are not in position to do so yourselves, it’s an expensive venture,” he said, emphasising that the directive issued in August 2025 still stands.
The President, who was joined by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, said farmers should have no worries about weighbridges, stressing that all stations remain operational. He used the moment to unveil a major new initiative targeting large-scale agriculture, highlighting a national fund that will help communities purchase fertilizers and construct fishponds.
He said the programme aims to transform rural productivity. He noted that many households have the land but lack the capital to modernize. “We are starting a fund to purchase fertilizers for those who are farming on a large scale,” he told the crowd. He added that the intervention will complement the NRM’s long-standing wealth-creation message. He reminded residents that development and personal prosperity differ, saying “a tarmac road or electricity is ours, but wealth is yours.”
The President encouraged households to adopt the four-acre model. He listed enterprises such as coffee, fruits, pasture, food crops, poultry, piggery and fish farming as options that guarantee income. He cited the example of dairy farmer George Matongo of Ngoma, who produces more than 900 litres of milk daily despite living far from major infrastructure. Museveni said Matongo’s success shows that wealth creation depends more on enterprise than location.
The rallyturned emotional when the President reflected on his experiences in the forests of Kityerera more than five decades ago. He recalled that the same area where supporters now gathered once served as a battleground. “We lost many people in that war, Eng. Kasada, Nkonko, Ntwale and some were executed in public like Karambuzi in Kabale, Karuhanga in Mbarara, Obona and Abejja in Gulu,” he said. He stressed that these sacrifices explain the NRM’s commitment to securing peace, which he described as the foundation for all progress.
President Museveni said Uganda now enjoys “total peace” for the first time in many years. He pointed to infrastructure projects such as the Musita–Mayuge–Busia road as proof of development. He assured residents that remaining road gaps, including the Iganga–Bwanda section, would be addressed.
Education remained a major talking point, with the President highlighting long-standing gaps in school distribution. He said Mayuge has 143 government primary schools against 84 parishes, yet 21 parishes still lack one. He noted that the district has 12 government secondary schools, with new seed schools in Mpungwe, Weilasa, and Kityerera expected to close the gap. He added that two sub-counties still lack a Health Centre III or IV, and he pledged upgrades.
The President also emphasized job creation, noting that industries have generated 1.3 million jobs compared to government’s 480,000. He urged supporters to explain confidently that they back the NRM because it has delivered peace, development, wealth creation, and employment.
Maama Janet thanked God for what she described as Uganda’s transformation. “There was a time when Uganda had become a failed state, and God brought the President with the NRM. Now we stand here together as a testimony to what God has done,” she said. She called on residents to vote and “please vote NRM.”
Mayuge District NRM Chairperson Aggrey Bagiire thanked the President for upgrading the Musita–Busia road and for supporting projects such as the District Council Hall and Administration Block. He praised initiatives like PDM, Emyooga, NAADS and the youth livelihood programmes that support groups including boda boda riders and taxi operators. He also requested a district hospital and an industrial park for Busoga.
As the rally closed, Museveni asked the crowd to remember the journey that had brought them to the day’s gathering, one defined by conflict, sacrifice, rebuilding and resilience. The President said the NRM government’s next chapter would continue to expand wealth creation and complete outstanding service delivery gaps.