Museveni speaks on why voters should prefer him over others in presidential race

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In an open exchange with journalists from Lango region, President Yoweri Museveni has revealed why he believes voters should back him and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the upcoming 2026 Presidential Election.

Museveni, who is seeking reelection, emphasised the party's unmatched history of delivering peace, stability, and economic transformation amid a field of eight candidates.

Speaking at Baralegi State Lodge on Tuesday evening as his campaign shifted toward the West Nile sub-region, Museveni fielded questions from journalists on why he stands out from his rivals.

He framed the NRM as the sole political force with a tangible legacy of steering Uganda from chaos to progress.

“The NRM has a proven record of securing peace, fostering stability, and driving the country's steady transformation,” he asserted, underscoring that no other party can match its contributions to nation-building.

Museveni delved into specific achievements, starting with security. He highlighted the eradication of cattle rustling in Northern Uganda as a prime example of how the NRM has protected communities and restored order, turning once volatile areas into zones of relative calm.

“This is not just talk. It is effective governance in action," he said. Museveni positioned these gains as foundational to why Ugandans should trust him over opponents who, he implied, lack similar credentials.

Turning to infrastructure and services, the President outlined the NRM's expansions in electricity, telecommunications, and education, which he described as the ‘backbone of sustainable development.’

These initiatives, he argued, have laid the groundwork for broader prosperity, setting his leadership apart in a crowded race.

“Job creation must be rooted in wealth creation. You cannot focus on jobs before building a strong economic base,” he said.

He urged a shift away from mere subsistence, advocating for Ugandans to prioritise income-generating activities to build resilience against economic fluctuations.

On the economy, Museveni painted an ambitious vision, announcing that Uganda has achieved middle-income status and projecting the gross domestic product (GDP) to hit $66 billion by June 2026.

Looking further ahead, he revealed plans to elevate the nation to high middle-income levels, aiming for a staggering $500 billion GDP within the next five years through focused investments in agriculture, artisanship, manufacturing, services, and ICT.

“We are now zeroing in on wealth creation across these sectors," he explained, and attributed these bold targets to the NRM's ideological clarity and historical role in the country's revival.

To doubters, he added that expanding regional and global trade is essential, as “the internal market alone is not enough. Uganda must tap into external markets” to fuel this growth.

Museveni also tied his candidacy to regional integration, pledging to strengthen ties with African neighbours and advance the East African Federation for shared prosperity.

“Under this plan, Uganda will become a modern and prosperous country in the near future,” he assured the journalists.

Lango challenges

Addressing local challenges in Lango, Museveni pinpointed subsistence farming and inadequate market planning as key hurdles.

He encouraged households to evolve beyond producing solely for consumption, instead adopting a ‘balanced and planned model of agriculture’ that generates both food and income.

Reviving his signature four-acre model, he advised allocating one acre each to coffee, fruits, pasture, and food crops, supplemented by backyard enterprises like poultry, piggery, or fish farming in wetlands.

“People should work for both food and money,” he said, reminding farmers that price volatility is inevitable but should not deter production.

According to Museveni, “Global demand, especially for commodities like coffee, remains strong; as such, farmers must stay resilient.”

Governance, policy matters

The discussion extended to governance and policy matters. On the recent disqualification of politician Jimmy Akena, Museveni clarified that he first got to know about his case from the newspapers and went ahead to clarify that he had personally reviewed the case and confirmed it adhered to legal standards, devoid of political interference.

Regarding succession, which is a hot button issue in the campaign, he reiterated that Uganda's Constitution provides a clear democratic framework.

“The issue of leadership was resolved,” he stated firmly, and added, “With eight presidential candidates in the race, whoever wins through the democratic process will become president.”

Infrastructure, agriculture Issues

Infrastructure received attention too, with Museveni noting that the Ministry of Works and Transport now oversees nationwide road maintenance, though allocations must align with national priorities for optimal efficiency.

He also touched on environmental efforts, unveiling plans to restock lakes and rivers with indigenous fish species.

“We need to rely on indigenous fish farmers, identify them and provide support,” he said. He called for regulations to limit fishermen on water bodies to prevent overexploitation, noting, “We must regulate without damaging the lakes.”

The conversation came after President Museveni’s rallies in Oyam District in the Lango Sub-Region and Pakwach District.

The Oyam event marked Museveni’s seventh rally in Lango, a region that has warmly embraced his campaign, while the Pakwach rally will marked his first expedition into the West Nile region as the election season gains momentum.