Uganda President Yoweri Museveni intensifies NRM campaign at Namisindwa….Photo/IP
NAMISINDWA, Uganda (IP)
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni received a thunderous welcome Saturday as he arrived in Namisindwa District, a place he described as “sacred ground” for the National Resistance Movement’s early struggle to liberate Uganda.
Thousands of residents lined the roads waving NRM flags, cheering and chanting pro-Museveni songs as the president’s convoy wound through the hilly border district.
Elderly residents, veterans and youth groups joined in a procession that turned the campaign launch into a homecoming celebration.
Museveni told the jubilant crowd that Namisindwa held a special place in Uganda’s political history, recalling that “it was from this side of Mount Elgon that the struggle to free Uganda gained its strength.”
He said he was “delighted” that the people of Namisindwa had remained loyal to the movement’s vision of peace, unity and development.
Highlighting the achievements of his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, Museveni emphasized peace and stability as the foundation of Uganda’s progress.
“Without peace, we cannot talk about schools, hospitals, or farming,” he said. “The NRM restored peace, and we must protect it.”
The president announced that the government will tarmac the Kufu–Bunambutye–Magale–Bumbo–Bukokho–Lwakhakha road, a long-awaited project expected to transform transport and trade across the border region.
“This road will open new markets for farmers, ease movement of goods, and strengthen trade between Uganda and Kenya,” he said, drawing loud applause from the crowd.
Museveni also pledged to expand rural electrification and bring more villages in Namisindwa onto the national power grid to support small businesses, schools and health centers.
Turning to agriculture, he encouraged farmers to adopt modern methods, add value to their produce and engage in income-generating enterprises.
“We are no longer in subsistence farming,” he said. “We must grow for both food and money. The Parish Development Model is here to help you do just that.”
During the event, the president officially handed NRM party flags to the district’s leading candidates: John Musila, flagbearer for Bubulo East Constituency, Peace Khalayi, the NRM woman MP aspirant for the district; and Emma Bwayo,LC5 chairperson flagbearer for Namisindwa.
Museveni urged them to focus on unity, integrity and grassroots mobilization as the party gears up for next year’s general elections.
Political analyst Joseph Mauso of Eastern Eye praised the organization of the event, congratulating Ambassador Simon Mulongo and the NRM campaign team for their coordination.
“Ambassador Mulongo and the entire NRM machinery in Namisindwa demonstrated effective grassroots mobilization,” Mauso said. “The massive turnout and disciplined coordination showed that the party’s structures are alive and responsive. It was one of the most successful campaign meetings in the region so far.”
The Namisindwa rally capped a busy weekend for the president as he intensified his campaign across the Bugisu subregion.
The President will face Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), a native of the Elgon region among others.
As chants of “NRM oyee!” echoed through the valley, Museveni reminded the crowd that “the struggle is not over until every Ugandan enjoys the fruits of peace and prosperity.”
