Museveni challenges rivals again as he courts Kigezi

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President Yoweri Museveni, on November 24, 2025, again challenged his rivals in the 2026 General Election to justify running for the presidency as he launched his quest for votes in the Kigezi region.

Addressing his first campaign rally of the day at Ssaza grounds in Kisoro district, Museveni listed why the residents should support the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in the 2026 general election.

President Museveni on arrival for the campaign rally in Rubanda. (Credit: Simon Peter Tumwine)

(Credit: Simon Peter Tumwine)

President Museveni addressing supporters at the campaign rally. (Credit: Simon Peter Tumwine)

“People are running around [saying], ‘support me, support me,’ [but] support you for what? What have you done? Because Uganda has been having a lot of problems,” he told thousands of ecstatic supporters clad in NRM yellow T-shirts bearing his image.

The NRM chairperson and presidential candidate recalled that in 1986, there was a shortage of everything: Sugar, soap, clothes and beer, among others.

“When I came here in 1986, people were getting beer from Burundi. [There was] no sugar, no beer, no clothes, no soap—nothing in the shops. All these are there now; all done by the NRM,” he said.

He, however, noted that “there are still some weaknesses created by our people” and promised to talk about them when interacting with journalists from Kigezi.

“But most of the work has been done by the NRM. So, I ask you to support NRM as you have done in the past so that we continue and consolidate,” Museveni, who was speaking English and Runyankole through a translator, implored the residents.

Of the seven candidates standing against him, one has so far had a significant impact on the campaign.

Robert Kyagulanyi of the main Opposition party, National Unity Platform, has fought a fierce battle in the last one-and-a-half months on the platform of 'protest vote' to win voters' hearts.

Museveni first outlined four of the seven key contributions of the NRM to Uganda, as captured in its 2026–2031 manifesto.

These, he said, include ushering in peace, fostering development, creating wealth and jobs.

“You people of Kisoro, you know the importance of peace because you are near a country where there is no peace. On the roads, you can see for yourselves,” he said, mentioning several roads that have been tarmacked and those that have been lined up for tarmacking.

These, he said, include Kabale–Kisoro–Mgahinga National Park road, which is under construction, and the Kisoro–Muko–Rukiri–Katoojo road.

When some people in the crowd shouted out that those working on the Kabale–Kisoro–Mgahinga National Park road “are lazy” and moving at a snail's pace, Museveni assured them that the work would be done.

“They (contractors) will work because money is there,” he said.

He explained the social and economic infrastructure and implored the NRM supporters to distinguish them.

On electricity, he said all the 24 sub-counties in Kisoro are connected except one, which is Nyarubuye.

He promised that in the next five-year term, the Government will extend electricity to this sub-county. 

“Kisoro and even Kabale and Rukungiri used not to have electricity,” he noted, adding that they decided to first connect the district headquarters before going to the sub-county and villages.

“All districts in Uganda have electricity except Buvuma,” Museveni said. 

Regarding telephones, Museveni told his supporters that “all of you have phones in your pockets”.

On education, the NRM Presidential candidate said Kisoro has 136 government primary schools and 14 government secondary schools offering universal education.

However, he expressed concern over the unequal distribution of government schools across Kisoro’s 71 parishes. 

He noted that of these, 45 parishes have at least one government primary school, while 26 parishes remain without any.

“There are parishes with more than one government primary school, leaving 26 without. This is not good. Learn to distribute the primary schools well,” he told district authorities.

At the secondary level, out of 24 sub-counties, 10 still have no government secondary school. Museveni promised that all the parishes and sub-counties without government schools will get them.

'Don't be diverted' 

The incumbent President also used his speech to spread the gospel of wealth creation. He implored the crowd not to be diverted by social and economic development such as schools, health centres, roads and electricity.

He said development is for all, but wealth and poverty are personal.