MANAFWA – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni campaigned in the Bugisu Sub-region on Tuesday, detailing his party’s record and ongoing commitments at a rally in Manafwa District.
Addressing a large crowd at Bugobero High School, Museveni presented what he described as the seven key contributions of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government since it took power in 1986.
“I am here with the NRM leaders to present to you the NRM manifesto. This manifesto highlights seven major contributions the NRM has made to Uganda since 1986,” he said.
The president identified peace and stability as the first and most difficult achievement.
“That peace you hear people talking about was not easy to bring,” Museveni said. “We were able to achieve it because we rejected sectarian politics of tribes and religion. When we recruit people into the army, we do not mind about tribe or religion. That is why we have been able to build strong national institutions like the army, police and others.”
He listed development as the second contribution, dividing it into economic infrastructure, such as roads and electricity, and social infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals.
On education, he noted Manafwa District has 61 government primary schools and 10 government secondary schools. He said the government continues to work toward a goal of at least one primary school per parish and one secondary school per sub-county.
“The plan is to make sure all these areas are covered so that every child can easily access education,” he said.
The government is building six new seed secondary schools in the district, which will reduce the number of sub-counties without a government secondary school from 23 to 17, he said.
Museveni also reaffirmed his commitment to free education in government schools, a policy he said began in 1996 but which some head teachers have frustrated by charging illegal fees.
“That is why I introduced the skilling hubs to show that free education is possible,” he said. “You have seen the testimonies — children who had dropped out of school now have skills in tailoring, bakery and other trades and are doing well.”
On health care, the president said Manafwa currently has two Health Centre IVs and four Health Centre IIIs, leaving 26 sub-counties without a government health facility. He outlined plans to upgrade one facility and construct new Health Centre IIIs in two dozen sub-counties and town councils.
He also said the government will continue immunization programs, equip all government health units and build more staff housing for health workers.
On water access, Museveni said 1,262 of Manafwa’s 1,309 villages, or 96%, now have safe water. He said new piped water systems in several towns provide safe water to tens of thousands of people, and crews are drilling and rehabilitating boreholes. A water supply system in Manafwa Town Council is 76% complete, he added.
The president also emphasized wealth creation, which he said must accompany development.
“You people here in Bugobero have a good tarmac road, but you do not sleep on tarmac,” he said. “When you go home, the poverty you left in the morning is still there. This is why we say that talking about development alone without talking about wealth creation is not good.”
He promoted commercial agriculture and clarified that jobs come from the private sector, not the government.
“Jobs come from commercial agriculture and industrialization,” he emphasized.
Museveni said the planned Manafwa Industrial Park will benefit the area, citing local minerals like vermiculite and iron ore that will support industrial growth and create jobs for young people.
He concluded by summarizing his message in five points: “peace, development, wealth, jobs and free education in government schools.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, thanked the president for development projects in the district, including roads, water systems and education programs.
The NRM chairperson for Manafwa District, Charles Peke Wolimbwa, praised Museveni’s leadership and said the district fully embraced the Parish Development Model. He reported the district disbursed more than 99% of its 47.8 billion shilling allocation to nearly 48,000 households and assured the president of the district’s overwhelming support.
