When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni first set foot in Nakasongola decades ago, the district was sparsely populated and burdened by preventable disease and limited opportunity. Standing before thousands of residents at Wabinyonyi Playground on December 30, Museveni returned to that memory to frame his message: stability, equality and deliberate leadership have transformed the fortunes of the Abaruuli community.
Campaigning alongside the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, the President used the Nakasongola rally to reaffirm the National Resistance Movement’s commitment to inclusivity, wealth creation and sustained development ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“Whenever I come to Nakasongola, I feel happy and grateful to God for the progress here,” Museveni said. “When I first came, the population was only 50,000. Today, it is over 226,000. This is because of the guided leadership of the NRM. Our children grow up and do not die from preventable diseases.”
Museveni argued that such demographic growth is not accidental but a direct outcome of peace and functional public services. He said Uganda’s stability over the past four decades has allowed communities to grow, plan and invest in their future.
At the heart of his address was the NRM’s long-held position on equality. Museveni said the Movement rejects discrimination based on culture, language or identity, describing inclusivity as a pillar of national unity.
“Please vote for the NRM as you have always done, because the NRM believes in equality,” he said. “You cannot deny anyone their language or rights. What is good for one community is good for all.”
He cited the restoration of the Kabakaship as an example of respecting the will of the people, saying cultural recognition strengthens rather than weakens national cohesion.
Turning to infrastructure, Museveni outlined ongoing and planned road works, including the Kikusa–Kazwama–Kalungi–Nakasongola road and the Rwampanga–Amolatar road. He said improved connectivity was critical for trade, service delivery and investment, while noting that land grabbing cases in the district had reduced.
On social services, the President acknowledged progress while pointing to remaining gaps. He detailed the district’s education and health infrastructure and announced plans to upgrade Batuusa HCII to HCIII in Kakooge, Kazwama HCII to HCIII in Kazwama, and to construct new HCIIIs in Migyera and Mayirikiti.
Museveni linked development spending to a broader jobs agenda anchored in household productivity. He reiterated the Four-Acre Model as a practical pathway to wealth creation in rural areas.
“Jobs will mainly come from four key sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services and ICT,” he said. “With calculation, that is how we talk of one acre of coffee, one acre of fruits, one acre of pasture, and one acre of food crops.”
He added that families could supplement incomes through backyard poultry, piggery for non-Muslims and fish farming near wetlands, urging residents to balance production with sustainability.
“Even at Namboole Stadium, not all spectators can fit,” Museveni said. “The same applies to our fishing sites. Overcrowding must be avoided.”
The President concluded by assuring residents that the NRM’s development agenda is designed to benefit all communities, including the Abaruuli.
“We shall continue working to ensure every community across Uganda benefits from development and equality,” he said.
Maama Janet Museveni echoed the call for participation, urging residents to turn out in large numbers on polling day.
“Nobody should stay at home,” she said. “Your vote is your brick in building Uganda. We are shaping Uganda for the future.”
Nakasongola District NRM Chairperson Christopher Nkoyoyo described the President’s visit as a morale booster and outlined progress under government programmes. He said the district, which has a population of 226,074 according to the 2024 census, has received Shs 24.2 billion under the Parish Development Model, benefiting 20,589 households, or 39.8 percent of the population.
Nkoyoyo reported that under Emyooga, 36 SACCOs with 8,479 members have received Shs 1.68 billion to support small enterprises. He added that access to safe water now stands at 74 percent of villages, supported by piped water systems, valley tanks and solar-powered irrigation schemes.
He also noted that 14 of the district’s 15 sub-counties are connected to the national electricity grid, with plans to extend power to Lwampanga Sub-County.
While acknowledging progress, Nkoyoyo raised concerns about land wrangles and infrastructure gaps, calling for continued government intervention to ensure sustainable development.
The rally, attended by NRM Central Executive Committee members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders and thousands of supporters, reinforced the NRM’s campaign narrative in Nakasongola: that equality, peace and planned development remain central to Uganda’s transformation.