President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential flag bearer, yesterday announced firm government action to resolve the plight of over 9,000 people displaced by floods in Ntoroko District.
Addressing thousands of supporters at Karugutu Secondary School, Ntoroko during a campaign rally, the President said he had already instructed his Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to coordinate an immediate response from top government officials.
“I have directed the PPS to invite the Prime Minister and the Head of Public Service to come and deal with the issue of the 9,000 flood victims who are stuck here,” the President said.
The displaced residents have been living in temporary shelters and IDP camps since 2019, after rising water levels of Lake Albert and the overflowing River Semliki submerged homes, schools and health facilities in Kanara Town Council and Kanara Sub-county.
The President assured the community that the situation would be handled urgently.
He added that the government would also review the budget for the Semliki Bridge, which remains a concern for residents.
On the challenges surrounding access to Parish Development Model (PDM) funds, the President directed the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Raphael Magyezi, together with the PDM Secretariat, to meet affected persons and resolve the issue of expensive processing.
Turning to national matters, the President reminded Ugandans that peace remains the foundation of the country’s development.
“We have maintained peace under the NRM government. We border Congo, and today we host about 700,000 refugees from there. We are surrounded by wars in Congo, South Sudan and Somalia, but Uganda remains stable,” he said.
He highlighted the government’s efforts in expanding economic infrastructure like roads, electricity and security and noted that delays in some areas were caused by competing priorities.
“We the soldiers have survived all these years on the principle of Kamu Kamu, gwe muganda,” he said.
The President further applauded the education strides in Ntoroko District, noting that it now boasts 38 government primary schools, 44 private primary schools, five government secondary schools and nine private secondary schools.
“Those who know where we have come from as a nation can testify,” he said.
He further announced a series of major health sector upgrades to improve service deliver; upgrade Karugutu HCIV to a General Hospital, upgrade Musandama HCII in Nombe Sub-county to HCIII and construct new HCIIIs in Kibuku Town Council, Karugutu and Rwebisengo Sub-counties.
The President noted that out of the 10 sub-counties in Ntoroko, four; Karugutu, Rwebisengo, Nombe and Kibuku still lack a HCIII, HCIV or hospital but said the government is moving to close this gap.
Ntoroko District currently has two HCIVs in Ntoroko Constituency, staffed with six doctors and supported by an ambulance at Karugutu HCIV.
President Museveni also reaffirmed government commitments to; continue nationwide immunisation programmes, work towards total malaria eradication, use ICT to track medicines and reduce health worker absenteeism and construct staff houses for health workers.
The President further thanked the people of Ntoroko for their resilience and support to NRM.
He also handed over the NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Ntoroko District, formally endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections.
The First Daughter, Mrs. Natasha Karugire Museveni representing the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, thanked supporters for turning up in large numbers.
“Thank you for coming, I want to thank Mzee. Many young people and I are grateful for your tireless work over the years day after day ensuring the peace of Uganda and our continued advancement and development,” she said.
Mrs. Karugire reminded the gathering that the peace the country enjoys today was hard-earned and must be protected.
“It is our responsibility to preserve it, and we do that by voting,” she noted.
On behalf of the First Lady, Mrs. Karugire noted: “ Maama Janet’s message for 15th January is that each one of us should go out and vote, vote for Mzee, the old man with the hat, and for the NRM. Thank you, and God bless you all.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anitah Among, also the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson praised the President for restoring peace and security in Ntoroko District, saying the area had long suffered insecurity but now enjoys stability under his leadership.
“Your Excellency, thank you for the work you have done in this district. This place has faced situations of insecurity, but you have ensured that our people now sleep in their homes and their property is protected,” she said.
Rt. Hon. Among reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading the Karugutu road, noting that the funds had been allocated for it, alongside Shs 22 billion that was provided in the supplementary budget for affected persons of the floods.
She added that the most urgent priority now is the resettlement of the 9,634 people displaced by the floods, urging that the matter be fast-tracked.
“Now that you know the problem, we believe you are going to resolve it,” she said.
She also commended the Doctor Dee Project that has been rolled out in Ntoroko—an initiative she said is strengthening services in roads, health, schools, and border-related areas because of the district’s proximity to the DRC.
Rt. Hon. Among further noted that the President’s leadership has been consistent and inclusive.
“Before I came to western Uganda, I thought you were doing this only in the east and north. Now I know you love the whole of Uganda. You are the leader we are looking for—not one who just comes to try,” she said.
“You are our only hope. You brought this country from instability to stability, from no hope to hope. Today, people even have PDM money.”
The Ntoroko District NRM Chairperson and State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, highlighted the district’s development profile, noting that Ntoroko has 10 sub-counties and town councils, 46 parishes and 178 villages, with a population of 114,858, according to the 2024 census.
He reported strong progress under the Parish Development Model programme. Ntoroko’s PDM SACCOs have so far received Shs 16.7 billion, of which Shs 14.5 billion (86.47%) has been disbursed to 14,509 households—representing 71.89% of the district’s 20,180 households.
The district also benefits from 18 Emyooga SACCOs comprising 9,777 members, which have collectively received Shs 760 million.
Hon. Mugarra noted that Ntoroko now has a solid education footprint, with 38 government primary schools and 44 private primary schools, spread across 46 parishes. Thirty parishes have at least one government primary school, while 16 still lack one, although some parishes host more than one institution.
At the secondary level, the district has 5 government and 9 private secondary schools, with all five government schools offering Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post-O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET), serving a combined enrollment of 3,251 students.
To address gaps, the district is benefiting from the construction of four Seed Secondary Schools, which will reduce the number of sub-counties without government secondary schools from five to just one.
He also highlighted the Ntoroko Presidential Industrial Zonal Skilling Hub, where 937 youth have already been trained, and an additional 240 trainees are currently enrolled.
Out of Ntoroko’s 178 villages, 111 now have access to safe water, representing 62.35% coverage. The remaining 67 villages, or 38%, are yet to be served.
Completed water interventions include; expansion of piped water systems in Itojo, Rwebisengo–Kanara and Nyakatok, construction of 3 rainwater harvesting facilities , rehabilitation of 12 boreholes across several communities and construction of public sanitation facilities in Rwangara and Itojo.
Operational piped water systems now serve tens of thousands.
District sanitation interventions also included construction of public latrines, drilling of deep boreholes, spring well rehabilitation, and extension of piped water to underserved villages.
Planned projects include expansion of piped water to Kanara and Karugutu sub-counties, solar-powered mini water schemes in flood-prone areas, and strengthening community engagement for sustainability.
Under water for production, the district completed the Kiranga Small-Scale Irrigation Scheme, covering 12 acres and benefiting 24 households. The scheme produces 9.2 tonnes of watermelons, tomatoes and onions annually, earning farmers Shs 21.6 million per year.
Ntoroko is connected to the national electricity grid. Out of the district’s 10 sub-counties, 7 already have power access.
In the next term, the government plans to extend electricity to the remaining three areas; Kanara Sub-county, Kanara Town Council and Bweramule to achieve full district-wide electrification.
The event was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, as well as thousands of supporters.
