President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni held his first rally in the Sebei sub-region as part of his ongoing campaign trail ahead of the 2026 general elections, assuring residents of Bukwo District of stronger government support following the recent landslides that claimed several lives and destroyed property.
Addressing thousands of supporters who gathered at Amanang Secondary School playgrounds, the President began by expressing his condolences to families affected by the disaster and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to assist them.
“I extend condolences to the people of Bukwo for the death of our people who were swept by landslides in the mountains. We shall support the families of the victims. As President, I have already sent some small support, but the government as a whole will support them even more,” the President said.
President Museveni emphasized the ecological and continental significance of Mount Elgon, describing it as one of the “mothers of the River Nile,” whose preservation is vital for Uganda and Africa at large.
“This mountain is very precious and important for the Sebei, for Eastern Uganda, and for Africa as a whole,” he said. “All these rivers that start here end up in the Nile. So, we must know how to live and use this mountain wisely.”
The President attributed the increasing frequency of landslides in the region to population pressure and unplanned human activity on the slopes. He noted that while population growth is a sign of progress, it calls for responsible land use and environmental management.
President Museveni outlined plans to hold a detailed post-election discussion on a sustainable strategy for mountain settlements and livelihoods. He encouraged residents to explore alternative ways of utilizing the mountain beyond agriculture, citing examples from Europe.
“Agriculture is not the only way to use this mountain. In Europe, people live in valleys and use the mountains for sports and tourism,” H.E. Museveni said, adding that he will “organize a trip to Europe for some people from Rwenzori and Elgon to see how others live in the Alps.”
He cautioned residents against cultivating steep slopes, warning that such practices invite disasters.
“The mountain is not the problem. We must learn how to live with it, especially with our bigger population,” he said.
Peace and Security:
President Museveni, who is also the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, reminded the crowd that the NRM’s greatest contribution over the last four decades has been restoring peace and stability across the country.
“You, the people of Bukwo, know what lack of peace is,” he said, referring to past insecurity caused by cross-border conflicts with Pokot warriors in Kenya and rebel activity in Mount Elgon.
“But now, the whole of Uganda is peaceful from east to south to west, and anybody who tries to bring trouble will be dealt with decisively,” he added.
President Museveni credited this peace to the NRM’s ideological clarity, anchored in patriotism and African unity.
“We believe in loving Uganda and Africa without caring about religion or tribe,” he said. “If you do good things, you’re with us. If you do bad things, we oppose you.”
He added that this principle has enabled Uganda to build strong national institutions such as the army and police, which continue to safeguard the country’s peace and development.
Development Gains in Sebei: Roads, Water, and Power
President Museveni listed major infrastructure projects implemented under the NRM government to open up the Sebei and Bugisu sub-regions for trade and investment. He noted that despite limited resources in the early years, the government prioritized key road connections linking Mbale, Kapchorwa, and Bukwo.
“We pushed from Mbale to Kapchorwa even when we had no money. I used the compensation money from Kenya to construct the Kapchorwa–Mbale road. Later, we constructed Kapchorwa–Suam road.”
Over the last six years, the region has benefited from several road projects funded by both the Government of Uganda and development partners such as the African Development Bank. These include: Kapchorwa–Suam Road (75 km) – funded by the African Development Bank, Mbale–Bubulo–Lwakhakha Road (45 km) – funded by the African Development Bank, Kapenguria–Kwoti Road (10 km) – extending up to Tyree Training Centre, Nakalama–Tirinyi–Mbale (106 km) – funded by the Government of Uganda, Namusni– Sironko/Muyembe– Kapchorwa (29 km), and Tororo–Mbale–Soroti (150 km) rehabilitated under national works programs.
Ongoing projects include the Muyembe–Nakapiripirit Road (92 km) and Namagumba–Budadiri–Nalugugu Road (39 km), while others such as Nabumali–Butaleja–Namutumba (90 km) and Bubulo–Bududa–Mbale Circular Road (28.5 km) are under procurement.
President Museveni also noted that each district now receives Shs 1 billion annually for community road maintenance, a move aimed at improving rural accessibility and local economic activity.
Turning to the water sector, President Museveni reported that Bukwo District has made significant strides in expanding access to safe water. Out of 784 rural villages, 354 currently have access to a safe water source, representing 45.2% coverage, while efforts are underway to push this figure beyond 50% by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
He highlighted several functional systems under the Umbrella-East management, including Bukwo Town Council Piped Water System serving 12,362 people, Suam Piped Water System serving 8,131 people, Cheptandan, Aralam, Kapnandi, Kaptali, Kamet, and Kabei systems serving a combined 27,180 residents.
Ongoing projects include the extension of the Riwo Piped Water System to Kapterewo Sub-County, rehabilitation of a spring in Kongasis Village, and drilling of a new deep borehole in Bukwo Sub-County.
However, concerns were raised by local leaders about corruption affecting service delivery in water projects.
President Museveni responded by calling on citizens to actively monitor the use of public funds through the Local Council (LC) system.
“The anti-corruption formula is the LC system because they are elected by you.So please follow the money of the roads from the central government to the district. We send Shs1 billion per year to each district to maintain the murram roads.”
On education, the President revealed that Bukwo District currently has 49 government and 44 private primary schools, alongside 10 government and 9 private secondary schools. He said the government plans to ensure every parish has a primary school and every sub-county a secondary school.
President Museveni said the ongoing construction of three Seed Secondary Schools in Bukwo will reduce the number of sub-counties without government secondary schools from 11 to 8.
He further mentioned the Sebei Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kween District, where over 1,149 youths have been trained in practical trades such as carpentry, tailoring, welding, and bakery.
He reiterated his commitment to free education, which he started in 1996, expressing concern that some local administrators still impose charges in government schools, thus keeping many children out of school.
“In the next government, I want all of us to agree that we should have free education for children in primary and secondary government schools,” H.E. Museveni said.
In the health sector, President Museveni acknowledged that Bukwo District, with 21 sub-counties, currently has one Health Centre IV and 12 Health Centre IIIs, leaving 8 sub-counties without any facility.
To bridge this gap, President Museveni announced new projects, including, upgrading Bukwo HCIV to a General Hospital, upgrading Kapnandi, Kamet, and Kapsarur HCII facilities to HCIIIs, and constructing new HCIIIs in Riwo, Kabei, Senendet, Bukwo, and Suam Sub-Counties.
These interventions, he said, are part of the government’s broader agenda to bring health services closer to the people.
Wealth Creation:
President Museveni once again emphasized the difference between development and wealth, reminding citizens that while the government provides infrastructure, individual prosperity depends on personal enterprise.
“Yes, there is peace and development, but you must add wealth,” he said. “Development is ours, but wealth is yours.”
He praised residents who have embraced the government’s 4-acre model of mixed commercial farming, citing success stories from across the country.
“When I came here, I found you growing maize, which takes eight months. Adopt the 4-acre model—use one acre for coffee, another for fruits, another for food crops, and another for pasture and zero-grazing dairy,” President Museveni advised.
Under the Parish Development Model (PDM), Bukwo District has received Shs 33.4 billion, with 99.74% disbursed to 35,227 beneficiary households, representing 62.2% of all households.
President Museveni encouraged residents to use the funds productively, stressing that jobs and income growth primarily come from wealth creation, not government employment.
“The government has 480,000 jobs, but we are over 40 million Ugandans,” he said. “Jobs mainly come from the wealth of individuals, families, and companies.”
He cited successful examples of individuals like Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, who diversified his income streams using the 4-acre model and now employs 26 Ugandans.
To inspire local investment, President Museveni screened a short video showing the Sino Industrial Park in Mbale, which he described as “a town of factories.”
The park, he said, symbolizes Uganda’s transformation from an importing to a manufacturing economy.
“These factories produce most of what we used to import. This is the way to go,” he told the cheering crowd.
Local leaders, led by Bukwo NRM District Chairperson Abubaker Nyandani, assured the President of continued strong support for the ruling party, pledging over 87% of the votes in the 2026 elections.
Nyandani cited the government’s achievements in peace, infrastructure, and social transformation through programs like PDM and Emyooga. He, however, requested that the status of Bukwo District Hospital be reinstated and several health centers upgraded.
He also called for the creation of another district named Too’ and the construction of inter-boda markets to boost local trade and revenue collection.
“Bukwo district doesn’t have a single market. Markets help in revenue generation and improving livelihoods,” Nyandani said.
He further appealed for compensation for families affected by cattle rustling and recent landslides, reporting that 35 houses were destroyed, 21 displaced, and 19 people confirmed dead.
The rally was also attended by the Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Anita Among who thanked the President for supporting landslide victims and reaffirmed the region’s loyalty to the NRM.
NRM’s Support in Bukwo:
According to electoral statistics, Bukwo District had 44,126 registered voters in 2021, of whom 32,895 (74.6%) turned up to vote. President Museveni garnered 27,888 votes (87.4%), while the National Unity Platform candidate polled 9.5%.
As of 2025, the district’s registered voters have increased to 56,636 across 163 polling stations, up from 140 in the previous election, a sign of demographic growth and mobilization.
Local NRM officials expressed confidence that the party’s performance will improve further due to visible progress in peace, education, roads, and agricultural financing.
