Muntu urges Ugandans to seek political renewal, criticises leaders’ arrogance

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The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu has delivered a scathing critique of Uganda’s leadership, saying leaders who elevate themselves to God’s level lose the wisdom required to govern the country.

In his Christmas message delivered at a campaign rally in Kooki ward, Lyantonde town council, Lyantonde district, on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, Muntu emphasised the need for renewal in Ugandan politics, urging citizens to seek God’s guidance amid challenges such as corruption, unemployment and inequality.

“Christmas should be a day for renewal in our politics,” Muntu said. “We need to come back to God as a country which has sinned and gone against God in the 40-year period that we have had under the ruling National Resistance Movement government.”

Drawing parallels with the humble birth of Jesus Christ, Muntu said, “God had power to make Jesus Christ born in a 5-star hotel, but he did not do it that way; he was born in a kraal of cows.”

Muntu lamented Uganda’s moral decline, citing corruption, unemployment and human rights abuses, pointing at the detention of opposition figures such as Dr Col Kiiza Besigye and other National Unity Platform (NUP) members who remain incarcerated in various prisons and detention centres across the country.

“Christmas should be a day for renewal in our politics,” Muntu said. “We need to come back to God as a country which has sinned and gone against God.”

His message resonated with Ugandans seeking change, highlighting the plight of political prisoners and the country’s broader socio-economic struggles. Muntu’s call for national repentance and humility contrasted with the government’s stance, emphasising accountability and justice.

“We need leaders who recognise their limitations and serve with humility,” Muntu added.

Muntu also promised residents of Lyantonde access to water for production and irrigation, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and improving livelihoods.

He stressed the importance of irrigation in transforming subsistence farming into commercial agriculture, pledging to prioritise water infrastructure development, including irrigation systems, to support farmers in Lyantonde and across Uganda.

Lyantonde, located in the cattle corridor, faces persistent drought and water scarcity, affecting both crop and livestock production.



According to Juma Bwanika, a local council leader, the government has initiated a micro-scale irrigation programme, investing sh223 million in irrigation systems for farmers in the area.

“However, existing projects, like the sh6 billion water project, struggle with declining water levels and inadequate feasibility studies. We hope that when you come to power, you will install underground tanks to pump water from Lake Kakyera to access clean water,” Bwanika noted.

He added that residents currently pay sh1,000 for a jerrycan of water, which he described as expensive.

Muntu’s pledge aligns with Uganda’s National Irrigation Policy, which aims to establish 1.5 million hectares of irrigated land by 2040, arguing that irrigation can increase crop yields, improve food security and enhance farmer incomes.

“We will ensure water for production and irrigation, empowering farmers to grow more and prosper,” Muntu said.

Muntu, who campaigned in Lyantonde and Lwengo districts, is expected to continue his campaign in Mbale City on Boxing Day, Friday.