NRM's Museveni woos Kabarole and Fort Portal voters

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National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate and the incumbent in the 2026 race, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, took his campaign message to the residents of Kabarole district and Fort Portal city on Saturday (December 6).

He held a rally at St. Leo’s Kyegobe in Fort Portal, addressing both sets of residents.

He said communities in the Rwenzori sub-region understand the value of peace because of the instability in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Just like at other campaigns, Museveni again said stability was achieved because the NRM rejected sectarian politics, enabling the government to build strong national institutions such as the army, police and Judiciary.

He assured the public that road works, both tarmac and murrum, would continue.

He, however, expressed concern about the poor maintenance of murrum roads, despite the government sending funds, saying some sub-counties either lack adequate resources or mismanage what is allocated. He assured residents that the government will investigate and resolve the issue.

Museveni revisited the teachers’ recent demands for salary increments, saying the government had prioritised critical investments such as roads and defence.

'Land for industrial park secured'

On wealth creation, the President gave the example of Tumusime Deziranta of Rubirizi, who lived near a tarmac road for 64 years but remained poor, illustrating that development alone does not create individual wealth.

He emphasised the need to separate wealth creation (personal) from development (public). 

He reminded residents of the 1996 four-acre model for small landholders, encouraging mixed enterprises such as coffee, fruits, pasture, food crops, poultry, piggery and fish farming for those near wetlands.

The NRM national chairman highlighted transport state minister Fred Byamukama as a successful example of this model and announced that the government will create a revolving fund to help farmers acquire fertilisers for better yields.

He reported that Uganda’s coffee production has grown to nine million bags annually, showing that both individuals and the nation are becoming richer.

He said jobs come from commercial agriculture, factories, services and ICT.

Museveni welcomed requests for an industrial park in Fort Portal and revealed that the government has already secured 10 square miles in Kyaka for the park.

He encouraged urban dwellers and those not interested in agriculture to embrace skilling programmes to fight poverty and create employment.

Kabarole district NRM chairperson, Victoria Businge Rusoke appreciated the granting of city status to Fort Portal and the establishment of Mountains of the Moon University serving nine districts.

She pledged 99% support for the President in the forthcoming elections.

Fort Portal city NRM chairperson, Claire Kasande, hailed the President for the development registered in the area, across sectors such as education, health, water, electricity and others.