Jobs and irrigation top voters’ concerns as Museveni visits Napak, Kapelebyong
Both districts are located in the north-eastern part of Uganda, and the majority of the people depend on agriculture as a means of livelihood. However, many of the households are still engaged in subsistence farming as a source of livelihood.
President Yoweri Museveni addressing a rally during his campaign in Karamoja. (PPU)
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President Yoweri Museveni is today (Thursday, October 30, 2025) campaigning in the districts of Napak and Kapelebyong for re-election.
Both districts are located in the north-eastern part of Uganda, and the majority of the people depend on agriculture as a means of livelihood.
However, many of the households are still engaged in subsistence farming as a source of livelihood.
Voter concerns
To ensure agricultural productivity, voters have told New Vision Online there must be irrigation schemes for every household to be able to produce its own food.
Ambrose Alunga, a youth leader from Kapelebyong, says just like the Karamoja region, Teso is also a pastoralist community.
“They take care of a lot of animals, and currently, there are a lot of diseases affecting animals. Vaccination should be held biannually to control the diseases,” Alunga said.
He adds that Kapelebyong is also shifting from pastoralism to crop growing, which calls for support to these communities by providing drought-resistant seeds, especially maize and beans, to curb food security challenges.
Jobs for youth
Michael Lokawau, another leader, says the emergence of industries within Karamoja and Teso is a timely intervention that will curb unemployment among the youth.
However, he adds: “The Government should ensure that all companies operating in the region always give priority to subcontracting local companies so that communities benefit.”
“It is not wise to leave out a local company supplying something as simple as gravel and giving a contract to a company that is 75km away.”
Statistics
Napak has a population of 211,830 people scattered across the 14 sub-counties/town councils, 59 parishes and 346 villages, while Kapelebyong has 143,536 inhabitants scattered across the 11 sub-counties/town councils, 56 parishes and 341 villages.
In the last general election, Napak had 56,678 registered voters; out of these, 37,372 (65.9%) voted, while Kapelebyong had 39,629 registered voters. Out of these, 27,428 (69.2%) voted.
In that election of 2021, Museveni, who is again running under the National Resistance Movement party, garnered 32,490 (94.06%) votes in Napak, while his main rival, Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform party, polled 912 (2.64%).
In Kapelebyong, Museveni got 17,529 (68.01%) votes and Kyagulanyi 1,387 (5.38%).
The incumbent President is campaigning for a seventh term under the theme: Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.
The theme focuses on safeguarding achievements in the last 39 years, such as peace and development, while aiming to propel Uganda to a high middle-income status.