Mpigi set for Museveni rally as NRM intensifies ground mobilisation

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Excitement is building in Mpigi district as National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters prepare to receive their party’s presidential flag bearer, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is scheduled to address campaign rallies in Mpigi and Butambala districts on Monday, December 29, as part of his bid to retain power in the forthcoming presidential elections. 

Party supporters in Mpigi have intensified preparations ahead of Museveni’s visit, with a campaign rally expected to take place at Mpigi Police Grounds as part of his nationwide campaign trail.

Ambassador James Williams Kinobe, who is leading a team of party officials from the NRM secretariat coordinating preparations for the visit, urged residents to turn up in large numbers to welcome the President.

"As we know, our presidential candidate is scheduled to address a campaign rally in Mpigi and Butambala districts. Let's show him our support by welcoming him in big numbers and also listen carefully to his message in our manifesto. We have done a lot of things, and we intend to do more," Kinobe said.

Amelia Kyambadde, the NRM flag bearer for Mawokota North Constituency and a former minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, also called on residents to attend the rally and listen to the message from the party’s presidential candidate.

Kyambadde said Mpigi district has benefited significantly from the NRM government through improvements in road infrastructure, health services, clean water supply, electricity, and programmes such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, which she described as key interventions aimed at eradicating poverty and improving livelihoods.

Sulaiman Kaweesi, the NRM district chairperson, rallied youths, market vendors and residents across the district to welcome President Museveni in large numbers.

"We thank the president for key investments and interventions towards empowering people and also bettering their livelihoods. We believe the President still has more in stock for us, let's all gather our support behind him and we vote for him and all our party candidates in the forthcoming general elections," he said.

Kaweesi added that he hopes to hear the President’s plans regarding the upgrade of Mpigi Health Centre IV to hospital status, as well as the proposal to inject sh20 million into every Emyooga SACCO each financial year, which he said is still in the pipeline.

Mpigi district has nine administrative sub-counties, 56 parishes and 339 villages. Several roads linking the district to neighbouring areas have been tarmacked, including the Mpigi Kabulasoke Maddu Ssembabule road, covering approximately 135 kilometres.

Government poverty alleviation initiatives such as Emyooga and the Parish Development Model have also had a noticeable impact on targeted communities.

According to Mpigi district commercial officer Ronald Kazibwe Bazalamugagga, the government disbursed sh1.12 billion as initial seed capital to over 36 SACCOs, with an additional sh160 million later released to eight more SACCOs.

" We thank the government for releasing funds to these SACCOs. We have some challenges with some of the SACCOs, many stemming from poor leadership, but we are handling these issues. However, there are SACCOs which have demonstrated exceptional performance through innovation and strong financial discipline," Kazibwe said.

Some residents, however, say they expect the President to address lingering challenges affecting the district.

Hamza Mukiibi said the President should tackle the issue of rampant land grabbing and evictions by what he described as tycoons.

Ronald Bbosa cited frequent power outages and land grabbing, which he said have left many community members homeless.

Sarah Nakaweesi said bibanja holders need greater protection, adding that land insecurity limits their ability to benefit from government programmes such as the Parish Development Model.