KATWE, Mayuge District — President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday reaffirmed his directive eliminating a controversial 5% levy imposed on sugarcane farmers by millers, calling the charge unfair.
The president, accompanied by First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni, said the order scrapping the “trash levy” for waste management still stands. He addressed the issue at a campaign rally in Katwe village, Mayuge Town Council.
The directive, which followed discussions with farmers and millers to address sector challenges, is set to take effect in August 2025.
During the rally, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer also assured sugarcane farmers that weighbridges for sugarcane transport remain operational and told them not to be concerned.
Museveni further announced a major new government initiative to support large-scale farmers, revealing plans for a national fund to purchase fertilizers and to construct fishponds for communities that cannot afford them.
The initiative aims to boost productivity and accelerate wealth creation, particularly in rural areas where households have land and potential but lack capital to modernize agriculture.
“We are starting a fund to purchase fertilizers for those who are farming on a large scale. The government will also build ponds because you are not in a position to do so yourselves; it’s an expensive venture,” he said.
Museveni explained that this support will complement the wealth-creation message the NRM has promoted since the 1960s. He reminded the crowd that development and wealth are not the same.
“A tarmac road or electricity is ours, but wealth is yours,” he said.
He urged households to embrace the four-acre model—coffee, fruits, pasture, food crops, along with poultry, piggery or fish farming—ensuring income at the family level. He pointed to examples like George Matongo of Ngoma, a dairy farmer who collects over 900 litres of milk daily despite living in a remote village without major infrastructure, saying such success shows that wealth creation is possible for anyone willing to adopt modern farming practices.
The President also thanked God for enabling him, the First Lady and other NRM leaders to return to the area in peace. He recalled that 52 years ago he had been in the same area not for a rally, but fighting in the forests of Kityerera.
“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. All those were connected to this Kityerera here; they were in a camp here,” he said.
He emphasized the NRM’s contributions to Uganda over the years, beginning with the restoration of peace. He said that Uganda endured many wars even after 1972 but now enjoys “total peace.”
On development, he pointed to road works such as the Musita–Mayuge–Busia road, and assured residents that, “what remains is Iganga to Bwanda and others are being done, and what is not yet done will be done.”
President Museveni highlighted gaps in the distribution of education facilities, noting that Mayuge has 143 government primary schools and 84 parishes, yet 21 parishes still lack a primary school due to poor planning. He said the district has 12 government secondary schools with nine sub-counties currently served, while new seed schools—Mpungwe (completed), Weilasa (under construction) and Kityerera (to be constructed)—will help address the gaps.
On health facilities, the President said that out of 16 sub-counties, only two lack a Health Centre III or IV, and these will be upgraded.
On job creation, President Museveni said employment comes from wealth generated in agriculture and factories, noting that industries have created 1.3 million jobs compared to the government’s 480,000.
He urged supporters to confidently explain that they back the NRM because it has delivered peace, development, wealth creation and jobs.
On her part, Maama Janet thanked God for the transformation Uganda has undergone, saying, “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 thanked the people of Mayuge for their commitment and added, “Please don’t forget you have a duty to vote, and please vote NRM.”
Hon. Aggrey Bagiire, the NRM Chairperson for Mayuge District, thanked the President for upgrading roads such as Musita–Busia and for supporting the construction of the District Council Hall, Administration Block and other projects.
He applauded the government’s efforts in improving health centres and praised programs like PDM, Emyooga, NAADS and youth livelihood initiatives benefiting various groups like the ghetto youth, boda boda riders and taxi operators.
Hon. Bagiire also requested an industrial park for Busoga and a district hospital for Mayuge.
