Kapelebyong District, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement presidential flag bearer, kicked off his campaign in the Teso subregion today by speaking extensively about road maintenance and accountability in local government.
Addressing thousands of supporters at St. Francis Secondary School, Acumet, Museveni, accompanied by First Lady Janet Museveni, acknowledged problems in road maintenance, which he attributed partly to corruption.
“On the roads, there is some little problem, which I have ordered the Ministry of Works to stop, and also the Ministry of Local Government. They delay in maintaining tarmac roads and even the murram roads,” Museveni said.
He noted that districts receive $1.3$ billion shillings annually for maintaining existing local government roads, yet many remain unmaintained.
“I carried out some sample investigations, and it seems there is some corruption in local government, and instead of maintaining the roads, they divert the money to other things,” he stated.
Museveni stressed that the allocated funds are specifically for maintenance, not for constructing new roads. He criticized local authorities for careless work, noting they often fail to construct proper drainage.
“They just bring a grader and grade, and they don’t do drainage. When it rains, water collects on the road. So, you wonder, are these people making roads or swimming pools? I am going to deal with them because that money is coming.”
Social Progress and Economic Plans
The president also highlighted social and educational infrastructure progress in the region.
“On social infrastructure, I am happy to know that there are 10 secondary schools in Kapelebyong alone. When I come here and see that, it shows how far we have come,” he said, reflecting on the expansion of schools like Teso College.
Reflecting on the NRM’s political journey, Museveni spoke of the long-term peace achieved since 2007, marked by the defeat of rebels and the disarmament of cattle rustlers in Karamoja.
He highlighted key economic infrastructure projects in Teso, including tarmac roads connecting Soroti to Moroto, and Soroti to Lira. He also announced plans for future roads from Soroti to Amuria, Obalanga, and Abim.
The president announced plans to restock livestock in Teso, Lango, and Acholi, proposing a “democratic formula” of five cows per homestead.
“I proposed five cows per homestead. The majority supported it, and I have instructed the government to plan for it,” he said.
First Lady Janet Museveni addressed the challenge of charging fees in government schools, which has arisen due to increased student numbers overwhelming existing teacher capacity.
“The President is saying in the coming Kisanja government, we will make sure that all teachers will be paid by the government and there will be no costs in the UPE and USE schools,” she said, urging support for the NRM to continue leading the nation.
NRM Impact in Kapelebyong
A report on NRM impact in Kapelebyong District showed progress in various sectors, though gaps remain:
- Financial Inclusion: The district has received $17$ billion shillings under the Parish Development Model, with $16.8$ billion shillings already disbursed to 17,014 beneficiary households. Additionally, $920$ million shillings has been disbursed through the Emyooga Initiative to support 18 Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations.
- Compensation: The government has paid $3.9$ billion shillings to 228 claimants for cattle raid compensation, with 174 claims still pending.
- Education: The district currently has 41 government primary schools and eight government secondary schools. However, 28 parishes still lack a government primary school, and plans are underway to construct more facilities.
- Water Access: Out of 341 villages, 109 have access to safe water, representing 35 percent coverage. Ongoing projects are focused on expanding the piped water network and constructing production wells and valley tanks for irrigation and livestock.
