President Yoweri Museveni has launched his Western Uganda campaign trail with a spirited appeal for voters to support the National Resistance Movement (NRM), emphasizing the party’s role in securing peace and development over nearly four decades.
Welcomed by thunderous chants, Museveni said the country still needs the NRM to consolidate gains and drive Uganda toward high middle-income status.
“The reasons we are here are to ask you to support the National Resistance Movement and to give you the reasons why,” he said. “People move around saying, ‘support me, support me,’ but ask them what they have done for the country. Uganda has had many problems — sugar shortages, cement, salt, clothes — but we have solved many of them. Most of the work has been done by the NRM.”
The president reiterated his campaign theme: “Securing Uganda’s Future saying his next phase of Uganda’s transformation requires continuity, discipline and a prioritization of wealth creation at the household level.
He said told the people in the western that in his next terms he will concentrarte on pece building,development, citing improvements in transport, electricity, communication, and education over the years.
He also mention road upgrades from Kampala to Mbarara and Kisoro, and promised the completion of additional critical routes, including the Kabale–Kisoro–Mgahinga National Park road, which is under construction, and the Kisoro–Muko–Rukiri–Katoojo road.
On education,the President expressed happiness over 136 government primary schools and 14 government secondary schools offering Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post-O-Level Education and Training establsied under Nrm regime
However, he expressed concern over the unequal distribution of government schools across the district’s 71 parishes. Of these, 45 parishes have at least one government primary school, while 26 parishes remain without any.
On employment, President Museveni stressed that jobs come from four sectors: commercial agriculture, industry and manufacturing, services and ICT. He highlighted the growing contribution of industrialisation, citing factories that now employ 1.3 million Ugandans, compared to 480,000 on the government payroll.
President Museveni singled out the Sino-Mbale Industrial Park, which hosts over 75 factories, as an example of NRM’s deliberate strategy to promote manufacturing.
Even small enterprises, he said, are central to job creation, praising young people trained under the Presidential Skilling Hubs for using hands-on vocational skills to start businesses in welding, carpentry, tailoring, hairdressing, bakery, leather design, and construction.
According to the President, Uganda has made significant progress under the NRM, but it needs stability and continuity to secure a prosperous future.
“With your support, we shall consolidate the achievements and continue transforming Uganda,” he said.
Several top NRM leaders accompanied the NRM Presidential candidate to Kisoro and echoed calls for unity and overwhelming support for the President in the upcoming 2026 elections.
Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among, the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson and Speaker of Parliament, thanked President Museveni for transforming Uganda.
“The people in the north and east have promised 90% of the votes. From Kisoro to Masindi, we expect you to vote 100%,” said Rt. Hon. Among.She also praised the improved road network in western Uganda.
“I have passed on this road from Kabale to Kisoro, and I must confess, it is a beautiful road,” she said, adding that Ugandans would vote for NRM to express gratitude for the peace and development the country has enjoyed.
“I wonder when people come here and say you have done nothing. The votes we are giving you this time are for appreciating what you have done,” she stressed.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa described President Museveni’s decision to begin his western Uganda campaigns in Kisoro as “a sign of love,” and urged residents to maintain unity, while the NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Uganda, Hon. Asiimwe Jonard, said the region remains a stronghold for the party.
“The gains in western Uganda are many. We are going to support the party as children of NRM,” Hon. Asiimwe said, calling for unity under the party.
The Kisoro rally drew a powerful team of NRM heavyweights, including the NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, and Prominent Kisoro personalities, including Gen. Kale Kayihura and King Ceasor Mulenga.