‘Reject voter bribery’ Museveni cautions Ugandans

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President Yoweri Museveni has called upon Ugandans to reject corruption and make decisions based on principles and national interest rather than short-term financial incentives, which are likely to distort democratic outcomes.

“Why should you be influenced and throw away your power to elect your desired candidate? When you see someone bringing money and asking for your vote, avoid them. You have the power. Don’t throw away your vote," President Museveni said on Wednesday, June 18, while addressing a rally at Kituntu sub-county, Mpigi district.

The rally was one of President Museveni's activities as he concluded his nationwide Parish Development Model (PDM) zonal tour in Greater Mpigi.

A media release from the Presidential Press Unit (PPU) states that President Museveni also thanked Mpigi communities for supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

He assured his audience that "unlike what happened in the 2021 elections, where the opposition rigged 2.7 million votes, Government has put in place measures to stop vote rigging."

Analysing the loopholes, President Museveni added, "What happened in the 2021 elections was due to the negligence of some of the NRM people. We have now introduced biometric machines to ensure everybody votes once. We shall not allow vote rigging anymore,” he emphasised.

The remarks come at a time when the country is preparing for the 2026 general elections.

At the same event in Mpigi, President Museveni received 184 people who reported that they had recently quit other political parties to join the NRM.

The presidential tour of Greater Mpigi included engagements with district leaders, PDM SACCO beneficiaries, and farmers across the districts of Butambala, Gomba, and Mpigi.

The focus was on evaluating household-level transformation efforts and strengthening local economic enterprises under the PDM.

President Museveni waves to ministers and other political leaders on his arrival at Kituntu sub-county headquater grounds in Mpigi district to address a rally on Wednesday June 18. (PPU Photo)

“I'm happy to be back here in Kituntu sub-county after a long time,” President Museveni said, mentioning that among the NRM’s contributions to Uganda is peace, which has enabled the population to engage in wealth creation activities and contribute to national development.

“The other day, we held such a meeting in Gombe. As I was returning to Kampala at night, I observed that people were still working. In all trading centres we drove through, the shops were still open,” President Museveni noted, observing that with peace restored, the government has launched developmental initiatives such as electricity, roads, health centres, and schools where the NRM has made some good contributions.

“In 1961, when I studied at Ntare School in Mbarara, there were only six schools with A-level, namely Buddo, Kisubi, Ntare, Namagunga, Gayaza, and Nabbingo, but the other day, when we took a count, you had 28 government schools with A-level in the greater Mpigi districts (Mpigi, Butambala, and Gomba),” President Museveni remarked.

He also emphasised the importance of leaders explaining to their people about Uganda's progress from 1986, where it is now and the future plans.

President Museveni encouraged the citizens to engage in wealth creation activities, noting that all the developmental initiatives, such as roads, health centres, and schools, are for all Ugandans, but wealth and poverty remain personal.

“The way you have come here to the meeting, when you return home, you’ll still be welcomed with the poverty you left there. That’s why NRM is not in politics for a show but to help you get out of poverty,” the President emphasised.

His message was based on cases cited by several PDM beneficiaries.

Rashida Namubiri in Kasaka village, Gombe Town Council, Butambala district; Deborah Namutebi of Lusenke village, Kome ward, Kanoni Town Council, Gomba East Constituency, Gomba district, who is a PDM beneficiary in greater Mpigi involved in poultry and animal husbandry; and Hajji Muhammad Zziwa, an established farmer located in Selinya B Village, Musa Parish, Kamengo sub-county, Mawokota North constituency in Mpigi district.

“Each year we shall send Shs100 million to parishes.

That means in five years, the parish will get sh500 million, but also in the 3rd year, the ones who were the first to receive will pay back, and that money will come back to the revolving fund of the parish, and by five years, the parish SACCO will have gotten an extra sh300 million coming back from the initial borrowers.

Former minister Amelia Kyambade (L) and other leaders exhibit their dancing skills during President Museveni's rally at Kituntu sub-county headquaters in Mpigi district Wednesday June 18. (PPU Photo)

It will no longer be sh00 million but sh800 million. You don’t have to borrow from the moneylenders or even the commercial banks,” the President explained.

To date, a total of sh33.429 billion has been allocated to the 130 PDM SACCOs across all three districts, with Mpigi receiving the highest amount (sh14.400 billion), followed by Gomba (sh12.600 billion) and Butambala, which has received a capitalization amount of sh6.428 billion because they have the lowest number of parishes in the region.

President Museveni re-emphasised the importance of wealth creation, describing it as a fundamental instrument to job creation, since there are 480,000 jobs in the Government against a population of 46 million people.

He cited the case of the Minister of State for Transport, Fred Byamukama, whose commercial farm in Bugangaizi, Kagadi, employs over 26 people, with the least earning sh200,000 per month.

He also observed that the industries in Uganda are employing 1.2 million people.

On the issue of Health, President Museveni stated that the Government is to construct a district hospital in Mpigi in line with its manifesto of establishing a hospital for every district. He further rallied parents to take immunisation seriously against the six killer diseases and malaria, and for girls under nine years to be vaccinated against cervical cancer.

“I’m now 80 years old, but who has ever heard that Museveni is sick and has been admitted to the hospital? We were in the bush for five years, but we never had any problems.”

About HIV/AIDS, President Museveni called for abstinence and being faithful among partners to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.

The NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda region, Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, rallied the party leaders in Greater Mpigi to support President Museveni as their flag bearer in the 2026 presidential elections. He also called upon the residents to vote for all NRM flag bearers in the 2026 elections to overturn the embarrassment of the 2021 elections, where, out of the 105 parliamentary seats in the Buganda region, NRM managed to get only 31 seats.

Some of the people who turned up for President Museveni's rally listening to his address at Kituntu sub-county headquater grounds in Mpigi district on Wednesday June 18. (PPU Photo)

Dignitaries at the events included: the Government Chief Whip, Denis Hamson Obua, Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Haruna Kasolo, the Minister of State for Microfinance, Evelyn Anite, the Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rose Namayanja and the chairperson of the NRM Women League, Lydia Wanyoto, plus Members of Parliament.

The PDM Presidential zonal tours aim to accelerate the implementation of President Museveni’s vision to lift 3.5 million households out of subsistence farming by 2026.

Previous visits include working visits to: Greater Masaka, Bugisu, Bukedi, Teso, Sebei, Karamoja, Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Rwenzori, Ankole, Tooro, and Bunyoro.