NAPAK DISTRICT, Uganda – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni assured Ugandans on Wednesday that insecurity and cattle rustling in the Karamoja subregion have been permanently defeated, declaring that “criminals will never be a problem again” under his National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
The president made the remarks during a briefing with journalists at the Morulinga State Lodge as part of his campaign trail ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In a detailed address, Museveni traced the historical roots of cattle rustling and the recent resurgence of insecurity, attributing them to systemic failures in earlier administrations and corruption within local security structures. He said his direct intervention restored order and neutralized the rustlers who had destabilized the area.
“But when we came, there was corruption in the army, starting with the failure to pay the vigilantes. When we came to Barlegi, we found the real problems, and of course, the army had the capacity to defeat these people, and we defeated them,” Museveni said.
He explained that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), working with local communities, restored security. He noted that when the UPDF 5th Division went for training, some rustlers tried to take advantage of the temporary gap but were swiftly defeated.
“They learnt a lesson, and anybody who tries will be defeated as long as the NRM is in charge,” Museveni said firmly.
The president underscored the need for effective community policing and robust communication systems at the grassroots. He expressed concern that some sub-counties in Karamoja still lack a sufficient police presence, despite a standing directive that each should have at least 18 officers.
“The lack of community policing in some areas has been due to incomplete deployment of police officers,” he said, adding that improved communication technology provides a new frontier in crime prevention.
“It’s not really difficult to deal with these criminals, especially now that we have a good network of telephones. This good network is very important in anti-crime efforts,” Museveni said.
He said every sub-county should center security around the police station, where everyone knows the emergency telephone number. “If anything happens, people should ring immediately,” he said, emphasizing that police must be well-equipped with motorcycles and pickup trucks for swift response. He also recommended deploying police dogs, drones and aircraft to track criminal activity.
“If the criminal has already left, the police dog can follow. At another level, we have surveillance equipment like UAVs and aircraft that can fly by day or night. There’s no way criminals can manage. If you combine all this, there’s no way they can survive,” the president stated.
Museveni added that modern surveillance has made it nearly impossible for rustlers to hide. “Some commanders said these rustlers are now staying in the bush instead of their homes, but that’s even easier because if they use a telephone, you can locate it. That telephone becomes a death trap for them,” he warned.
On national politics, Museveni attributed the NRM’s enduring popularity to its consistent ideological foundation built on four pillars: patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation and democracy.
“The big support of NRM that you are seeing is because of our work for the last 65 years. I have been active since 1960,” he said, recounting the political chaos of the early 1960s. He said sectarianism dominated Uganda’s politics through parties like the Democratic Party (DP), UPC and Kabaka Yekka, sowing seeds of division that led to violent conflict.
Linking the NRM’s philosophy to its development agenda, Museveni said Uganda’s transformation is anchored on household wealth creation and value addition through agriculture and industry.
“My first plan is wealth. That’s what I did in the cattle corridor in the 1960s. For economics, I say: Seek ye first the homestead incomes, and the rest shall be added unto you,” he said.
He outlined a model for household prosperity, urging every family to engage in commercial agriculture using a “four-acre model plan.”
“Each home must engage in commercial agriculture, using high-value enterprises. The first acre can go to coffee, the second to fruits, the third to pasture for zero-grazing cows, and the fourth to food crops like cassava. Then you can add backyard poultry, piggery for those who eat pork, and fish farming in wetlands,” he elaborated.
The president highlighted the NRM’s push for industrialization, particularly agro-processing. “The factory is based on agriculture. If you produce a lot of milk, coffee, and fruits, you must process them,” he said, adding that Karamoja and surrounding regions have vast potential for mineral-based industrialization.
He also identified tourism as a key economic pillar for Karamoja’s development. “We have natural beauty and culture here that can attract visitors. Tourism will complement agriculture and mining,” Museveni said.
He reiterated that Uganda’s progress is tied to Africa’s unity and economic integration, saying the NRM’s vision seeks to promote a self-sustaining African market.
