Museveni pledges to enhance infrastructure and household income in Rubanda

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President Yoweri Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer for the 2026 national polls, has pledged to: strengthen peace, improve key road networks and enhance household income initiatives in Rubanda District.  

Speaking at a campaign rally in Rubanda on Monday, the President said the NRM’s 2026–2031 Manifesto will focus on the continuation of Uganda’s journey of peace, development, and prosperity for all Ugandans.

NRM supporters at the campaign rally in Rubanda. (PPU)

President Museveni waves to supporters upon arrival. (PPU)

He told residents that communities in Kisoro and Rubanda understand the value of stability because of their proximity to conflict-affected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“After defeating Kony and the other rebel groups that once disturbed our people, we secured this peace. And we must protect it,” he said, according to a release from the Presidential Press Unit.

President Yoweri Museveni addressing the supporters at the campaign rally in Rubanda on Monday (Nov. 24). (PPU).

The President highlighted infrastructure development as a major pillar of his next term, citing completed works such as the Kabale–Kisoro Road.

He also confirmed that government has secured funding for the Katuna–Muko–Kamuganguzi Road.  

He assured his huge audience that the Kisoro–Nkuringo–Buguri–Buko Road, the Kabale–Bunyonyi–Kisoro–Mgahinga route and the Hamurwa–Kerere–Kanungu–Kanyantorogo–Butogota–Buhoma/Ifasha–Ikumba stretch will all be upgraded.

“These strategic roads will boost tourism, improve access to markets and increase incomes,” he predicted.

Reiterating a campaign he began in the 1960s, the President praised the cattle corridor communities for heeding his earlier call for economic transformation.

“I’m very glad the dairy farmers of 1964–65 listened. We told them to stop moving from place to place, trying to run from foot and mouth disease. They listened, and now, they’re earning big,” he said.  

A child amidst the crowd of NRM supporters listening to President Museveni at the campaign rally in Rubanda. (PPU)

Museveni also advocated for intensive agriculture, especially for families with limited land.  

“If you have a small piece of land, say two acres, and you grow cotton or tobacco, you get little per year. But you must produce a good or service for sale, and you must do it with ekibalo (calculation),” he said.

Explaining the Four-Acre Model first introduced in the 1996 NRM Manifesto, he elaborated, “If you have four acres, do seven things: One acre for coffee, it can bring you sh15 million a year. The second acre for fruits, the third for pasture, you can support cows on one acre.”

“The fourth for food crops for the family. In the backyard, do poultry for eggs, piggery if you're not a Muslim, and fish farming if you're near swamps. Fish farming brings a lot of money. One acre accommodates four ponds, which make up to sh80 million a year," he lectured

On the Parish Development Model (PDM), the President reminded beneficiaries that the funds are not giveaways but community-owned investments.

“This PDM is your bank. It is not a handout; it’s a revolving fund meant to uplift you from poverty. Those who have received the money must ensure it is put to good use and repaid after two years so that others can also benefit,” he noted.  

He also issued a stern warning against misuse or neglect of the program.  

“This money belongs to you and your community. If you misuse it or fail to repay, you deny others a chance to improve their livelihoods.

At the end of the rally, the President handed over the NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Rubanda District, formally endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections.  

President Museveni in a group photo with aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Rubanda District. (PPU)

(PPU)

The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), also a member of Parliament, Rubanda East Constituency, Hon. Henry Musasizi, thanked the President for expanded services in education, health, water and electricity.

He reported progress in government schools, health centre upgrades and rural water systems.  

Musasizi appealed for police enforcement to curb crime like theft in the villages. 

(PPU)

Former Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda welcomed President Museveni to Kigezi and urged residents to maintain their support as they have always done.  

Former Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda. (PPU)

NRM impact in Rubanda:

The PPU release revealed that Rubanda District has registered notable progress in the education sector, with 110 government primary schools and 81 private ones now serving learners across the district.  

The area also has nine government secondary schools and 29 privately run institutions. Government-aided secondary schools continue to offer Universal Secondary Education and UPOLET, with current enrolment standing at 5,381 students.

Out of the district’s 70 parishes, 45 have at least one government primary school

With the completion of the two Seed Secondary Schools under construction, the number of sub-counties without a government secondary school has decreased from ten to eight.

Meanwhile, the district outlined a series of interventions to improve the health centres, including the upgrading of:

Muko HCIV and the elevation of Kiyebe, Kaara, Ihunga, Kagarama, Mugyera and Kashasha health centres to HCIII status.  

New Health Centre IIIs are also planned for Bubaare, Kacere and Katojo.

Rubanda West currently hosts a general hospital, while Rubanda East has a functioning HCIV, each staffed with two medical doctors.

Meanwhile, 54% of the 476 villages in Rubanda have access to a safe water source, leaving 46% unserved.

Recent improvements include: the protection of 12 springs, construction of the Nyakasazi Gravity Flow Scheme and completion of the Burimbe piped water system.  

The district has also rehabilitated the Rwanseza and Ruboroga gravity flow schemes and expanded town water systems in Rubanda, Hamurwa, Bubaare, Bufundi, Muko, Kacerere, Nyamweru and several other centres, delivering safe water to tens of thousands of residents.

Ongoing works involve additional protected springs, installation of rainwater harvesting tanks in selected institutions and an expansion programme in Butare–Katojo aimed at extending safe water to hard-to-reach villages.

PPU further reported that future plans include new piped water systems for Nshanjare, Katojo and Mugyera town councils.

In the energy sector, Rubanda is now fully connected to the national grid. The government says its next phase will focus on extending electricity to the remaining ten sub-counties of Hamurwa, Bubare, Ikumba, Bufundi, Bubaare, Butare–Katojo, Habuhutu–Mugyera, Kacerere and Ruhija.

District data also shows Rubanda has 63,754 households, of which 20,733 have so far benefited from the Parish Development Model.  

The district has cumulatively received sh21.1 billion under the programme, with 96.66 percent of the funds already disbursed to beneficiaries.

Rubanda further hosts 32 Emyooga SACCOs with a combined membership of 20,963 people, and these have collectively received sh1.76 billion to support enterprise growth.

Dignitaries at the event included: NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, as well as thousands of supporters.