Government to revamp Kasese railway, says President Museveni

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President Yoweri Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential flagbearer, has assured residents of Kasese district that the government will revamp the Kasese railway line and station.

“We are going to renovate the railway line. Work has already begun on the Malaba–Kampala section, and later we shall extend services to this region.

In Kasese, we shall construct a new Standard Gauge Railway, and we shall also build an airport here to support tourism activities but we shall first prioritise the Hoima airport because of oil-related work,” President Museveni said on Thursday (December 4).

Museveni made the remarks while addressing hundreds of NRM supporters who had gathered at Nyakasanga playgrounds in Kasese Town for his campaign rally.

The President noted that the road from Fort Portal to Kasese has been upgraded twice, adding that Bushenyi–Ishaka has also been renovated twice.

He said the road through Kikorongo to Bwera had initially been worked on but later deteriorated. He added that it will be repaired again and that work has also been done on the road from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo.

Museveni stated that some projects are delayed because voters elect people to Parliament who do not understand how the NRM operates, noting that they spend time pushing for salary increments instead of supporting road construction.

President Museveni said Kasese has 260 government primary schools and 25 government secondary schools, and that more will be built.

On health, he said the district has a government hospital and several Health Centre IIIs and IIs.

“As NRM, what matters to us is knowing the right direction and destination,” Museveni said, adding that development alone does not automatically create wealth.

“Tarmac roads may pass through your area, but that does not guarantee prosperity. Those who followed our advice are now doing well. They are wealthy because they work for both the stomach and the pocket,” President Museveni added.

He said the NRM continues to promote the four-acre model, with one acre for coffee, another for food crops, another for pasture, and the remaining for poultry, piggery or fish farming.

“NRM has contributed to wealth creation in this country. Many people are planting coffee and earning significantly from it. As individuals benefit, the government also gains through increased coffee exports. Those who claim NRM has contributed nothing to Uganda are simply misinformed,” Museveni noted.

He added that when the government started Operation Wealth Creation, 68% of Ugandans were working only for the stomach. Today, he said, 70% work for both the stomach and the pocket, with only 30% remaining in subsistence farming.

He said programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) are intended to support those still struggling.

Museveni also said many people want government jobs, but the government only has around 480,000 positions, which cannot accommodate a population of 50 million.

“Government jobs are consumptive. They do not create more jobs. It is individuals and companies that create employment,” President Museveni elaborated.

On security, the President said the people of Kasese understand the value of peace.

“You have seen many refugees fleeing Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because of instability. We now host about 700,000 Congolese refugees who cannot return to their country.

You also know very well the groups that have tried to destabilise this area, and we defeated them,” Museveni said.

He warned that anyone attempting to threaten Uganda's peace will be dealt with decisively.

“Whoever tries to destabilise Ugandan peace, we shall strike them,” Museveni said.