'Five years is not far': Todwong warns Nwoya leaders to deliver
“Do not sit in office doing nothing; the campaign and election are over. It is time for you to focus on working to serve people who put their trust in you to improve their households’ income, health, education and road networks, among others.”
Secretary General of NRM, Richard Todwong (centre), Ann Lumumba Ruyondo, the Chairperson of the National Women's Council (left) and Christine Lanyero, woman MP for Nwoya (right), during the Thanksgiving. (Photo by Jackson Kitara)
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The secretary general of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Richard Todwong, has urged elected leaders to put politics aside and focus on service delivery to the people who elected them.
“Do not sit in office doing nothing; the campaign and election are over. It is time for you to focus on working to serve people who put their trust in you to improve their households’ income, health, education and road networks, among others,” he said.
Todwong urged leaders to sensitise communities about government programmes to ensure people at the grassroots benefit and improve their household incomes.
“Five years is not far; electorates will ask you to account for your time in office come 2031,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Albert Lakony of Anaka Catholic Parish sprinkles water as he blesses the leaders of Nwoya during Thanksgiving. (Photo by Jackson Kitara)
“You are the president of your home, MP and chairman of your home; start planning on how you are going to chase poverty away from your homes. Being poor is when you are lazy and don’t plan for your family,” Todwong said.
Todwong made the remarks on October 31, 2026, during thanksgiving prayers for Nwoya leaders who won in the 2026 general election at Koch Goma subcounty headquarters.
Ann Lumumba Ruyondo, the chairperson of the National Women's Council, pledged to support women in Uganda through the budget allocated to her office.
“Fellow women, we are the mothers of this country. Let us stand up and support our husbands with good ideas to improve our households’ income,” she asked.
Ruyondo said peace, unity and development would remain elusive if households continued to experience poverty.
She urged women in leadership to respect and love their husbands, saying this would promote peace and unity. She warned that failure to do so could undermine their relationships, yet they serve as role models in their communities.
Christine Lanyero Awany, the Nwoya district woman MP, called on leaders to unite and work together.
“As a leader, you cannot work alone, but unite with other leaders so that you provide quality services,, she said.
Lanyero urged leaders to forgive political opponents and voters who did not support them during the elections, and to serve everyone regardless of their political, tribal or religious affiliation.
Patrick Okello Oryema urged women to form groups so they could benefit from government programmes.
He also advised men against excessive drinking and spending time in trading centres, urging them to take responsibility for providing for and caring for their families.
Oryema said many men had abandoned their responsibility to provide for their families, leaving their wives to shoulder the burden as they spent time drinking in trading centres.