📸 In this new kisanja, we must fight poverty — Museveni

GOMBA - Majority of bloggers and TikTokers who boast of having over one million likes have never visited a rural farm. Many were, therefore, excited when they finally made it to the list of creatives and content creators to visit President Yoweri Museveni’s rural farm in Kisozi, Gomba district.

At least about 280 of them, Sunday, March 01, 2026, travelled in a convoy of buses and coasters to Gomba to attend the second edition of the Jazz with Jajja (lively talk) organised by First Daughter, Natasha Karugire Museveni.

It was supposed to be a free talk and an interface with the head of state. Indeed, many had never had such an opportunity in their lifetime.

President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Mrs Janet Museveni arrive as they slated to meeting Social Media influencers, Content Creators and TikTokers at Kisozi Ranch in Gomba district, on February 01,2026. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Social Media influencers, Content Creators and TikTokers yearn to film President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Mrs Janet Museveni as they arrived at Kisozi Ranch in Gomba district, February 01,2026.

The weather was cool, and the scenery of green banana plantations, coffee shambas and shrubs dotted the roadsides and distant hills as the yellow buses rolled through the villages, miles away from Kampala city.

At Kisozi Ranch, the green ambiance welcomed the visitors, who were first driven to the grazing grounds to have a face-to-face with the long-horned Ankore cows.

It is here that the President rears the “Ekyigondo”, a type of cattle originally belonging to his late mother, Esteri Kokundeka, which were given to her for ghee production. They have since multiplied to hundreds.

Happy content creators capture the President's arrival, prior to meeting them.

To the surprise of the bloggers, the main host, the President, arrived driving. Everyone pulled out their phones and scrambled to take photos and film the legendary Jajja, dressed in his famous cotton white shirt, wearing jungle boots and a cowboy hat, and each holding long sticks, famous for pastoralists, and deeply rooted in culture, representing wisdom, authority, and preparedness.

Later, the First Lady, Mrs. Janet Museveni, who is also the minister of education and sports, emerged from the car, in the company of Mrs. Karugire. With all smiles, the President and First Lady briefly addressed the filming group.

Mrs. Museveni did not wait for the Jazz with Jajja ceremony. She addressed the group and asked them to at least learn something from their tour and put it into practice.

Natasha Karugire Museveni, the coordinator of the Jazz with Jajja.

President Museveni, First Lady and daughter Natasha.

It was at this moment that the president asked his herdsmen, led by a female farm manager, to drive the animals closer, but warned that the animals would not stay longer because they were not used to crowds.

The group was told to retreat to the venue, about one kilometer away, where again the president arrived, driving.

You could see that throughout the jazz, the President and First Lady were amused interacting with the group, some of whom are the actual representatives of ordinary Ugandans, but with a big following on social media.

President Museveni, First Lady Mrs. Janet Museveni and daughter Natasha Karugire with some of the tiktokkers and social media influencers at Kisozi Farm in Gomba District.

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama also attended the Jazz with Jajja at Kisozi.

Many of them are best known by their TikTok accounts or stage names for musicians. Names like Publicity Yasin Natete, Kasuku (Isaac Katende), Lil Pazo, Happy Kanyani, Jacklene Arinda, Joseph Tamale, were probably new to the President, yet they are celebrities for the social media followers.

They were even selected for the panel that asked the president questions that set the pace for his day’s engagement with them.

Mrs. Karugire was the day’s moderator and often either asked Mama to respond to some of the questions or explained to the President where he did not understand the questions asked because of the language the Zoomers (Gen Z) were using.

Isaac Daniel Katende aka Kasuku speaking to President Yoweri Museveni.

Yasin Mukasa aka Lil Pazo speaking to President Museveni and First lady, Mrs. Janet Museveni.

Some of the panelists like Publicity Natete, talked in “tongues”, which confused the President. His statements could not easily be understood, both in English and Luganda, until Kasuku was asked to translate and interpret what exactly he meant. But their presentations were what created the light moments for the Jazz.

Most of them maximumly utilized the President’s serenity to make personal appeals. Kasuku described himself as an orphan who lost all his parents, and most recently his grandfather.

Publicity Yasin asked for a special appointment for a one-on-one, saying he had a lot to share with the president.

The president's cows at Kisozi Farm in Gomba district.

Lil Pazo said though the President had released funds for artists, he had been sidelined and was suffering and begged for a Presidential handout.

The president picked interest in Lil Pazo when he accused fellow musicians, Eddy Kenzo and Bebe Cool, of “conning” the President when he channelled billions of shillings to help musicians.

He was granted an appointment in two weeks’ time.

The President offered to inject sh5b in their SACCO, but from what he was told, he decided to create a special fund in the State House to directly support musicians and the creatives instead of channelling the money through their leaders.

Media personnel attending the Jazz with Jajja second edition at Kisozi Farm.

He also promised to investigate the allegations that the money was put to personal use.
The Jazz with Jajja mostly touched on a deep reflection of Uganda’s economic transformation and national values.

Responding to a request from Kasuku on how digital influencers can formally collaborate with the Government, the President described the sector as a modern evolution of traditional advertising.

“What you are talking about is not something new. In the past, companies spent money on TV and radio advertising. Now, a layer of operators has come up using social media as an easier way of communication to package and present products to consumers,” he said.

“If you are organised, we shall support you. If it is a combination of sales and entertainment, that is fine. I am glad to see our young people putting up that layer of promoters. We shall support you both in improving communication technology and operationally.”

President Museveni also underscored the contribution of content creators in the new economy.

“You are adding something different. It used to be an advertisement on the radio and television. Now you have used the internet to combine celebrity with promotion and link it with other sectors.”

Publicity Yasin Natete, a tiktokker speaking to President Yoweri Museveni.

He framed the discussion within what he called Uganda’s “whole battle”, moving citizens from poverty into productive economic participation.

“I have heard that many of you were born in difficult circumstances. There are many like that. The question is: how can the country deal with that?” he inquired.

The President explained that the government's long-standing strategy has been to involve as many Ugandans as possible in the four wealth creation sectors.

“Now about 70 per cent have joined the money economy. Those will help us deal with the remaining 30%. In this new kisanja, we must fight poverty because poverty is the biggest problem,” he said.

Maama Janet cautioned against identity erosion, urging young people to value who they are and where they come from.

“When you see Ugandans trying to change themselves to look like others, just think,” she said, emphasising that confidence in national identity is foundational to transformation.

On education reform, she spoke at length about Uganda’s new competency-based curriculum, describing it as a shift from passive learning to active engagement.

“Our young people now enjoy being in class, asking questions and doing their own projects. Teachers are becoming facilitators. Education should liberate, not keep us captive.”

She also contrasted education rooted in colonial philosophies with an approach that empowers African identity and critical thinking.

“When you educate a person properly, you liberate your country,” she said. The First Lady further highlighted the government's growing investment in sports, noting that structured planning has replaced past improvisation.

“In the past, students would go for national competitions without accommodation or food,” she said. “Now we plan. We select which teams to fund as a nation because we cannot fund all at once.”

Although the national budget must address multiple priorities, Maama Janet assured participants that sports development is steadily improving as resources increase.
Drawing on faith, she encouraged discipline and purpose.

“Before you were in your mother’s womb, God knew you. Those who discipline their lives will fulfil their purpose.”

She urged the youth to reject divisions based on tribe or religion and to work together. “If we hold hands as Ugandans and work together, our country will be unstoppable.”