Kisoro – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Monday took his wealth-creation message to Kigezi as he launched the Western Uganda leg of his 2026 presidential campaign, rallying Ugandans to embrace income-generating enterprises and support the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to safeguard the country’s socio-economic gains.
Addressing thousands at Saaza Grounds in Kisoro District, the NRM national chairman and presidential flag bearer said the next phase of Uganda’s progress depends on transforming individual households through wealth creation, especially in rural areas.
He told supporters that while peace and development remain important achievements of the NRM, the country must now prioritise household income if it is to make “a qualitative leap into high middle-income status.”
“The reasons we are here are to ask you to support the National Resistance Movement and to give you the reasons why,” he said.
“People move around saying, ‘support me,’ but ask them what they have done for the country… Many of Uganda’s problems — sugar, cement, salt, clothes — have been solved by the NRM.”
Museveni emphasised that the heart of his campaign is wealth creation. “We have tarmac roads up to Bunagana and Cyanika, but people don’t sleep on the road,” he noted. “That is why the NRM emphasises wealth creation for every household.”
He highlighted examples of rural Ugandans who have prospered through commercial agriculture, including George Matongo of Ngoma, Nakaseke, who produces 900 litres of milk daily and earns about Shs 21 million a month, and Joseph Basangwa of Kamuli, who now earns Shs 20 million a day from poultry farming.
He reiterated the 4-acre model introduced in the 1996 manifesto, encouraging farmers to diversify into coffee, fruits, dairy, poultry, piggery, and fish farming. Museveni also noted that Uganda’s job growth is now driven by commercial agriculture, industry, services, and ICT, citing the rise in factory employment from 480,000 to 1.3 million and pointing to the Sino-Mbale Industrial Park as a model of expanding manufacturing.
While wealth creation dominated his message, the President also outlined the NRM’s seven major contributions, beginning with peace, which he said remains the foundation of progress. He praised Kisoro residents for supporting efforts to secure the once-volatile border region.
On development, he cited improved transport, electricity, communication, and education infrastructure, noting road upgrades from Kampala to Mbarara and Kisoro and promising completion of the Kabale–Kisoro–Mgahinga National Park road and the Kisoro–Muko–Rukiri–Katoojo route.
Museveni said the education sector in Kisoro has grown significantly, with 136 government primary schools and 14 government secondary schools under USE and UPOLET, but raised concern over unequal distribution, where 26 out of 71 parishes have no government primary school and 10 out of 24 sub-counties lack a government secondary school.
“With your support, we shall consolidate the achievements and continue transforming Uganda,” he said.
A strong team of senior NRM leaders accompanied the President to Kisoro and called for unity and overwhelming support in the 2026 elections. Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among said Ugandans will vote NRM to appreciate the peace and development achieved under the government.
Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa described Museveni’s decision to begin his western campaign in Kisoro as “a sign of love,” while NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Uganda Hon. Asiimwe Jonard reaffirmed the region’s loyalty to the party.
The rally drew several high-profile figures, including NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, and prominent Kisoro personalities such as Gen. Kale Kayihura and King Ceasor Mulenga.
