President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, has launched his campaign in the Ankole sub-region, starting with Isingiro District, amid calls from local leaders for more road construction equipment and infrastructure investment.

Addressing crowds at the Isingiro District Headquarters and later at Kyamate Secondary School Playground, President Museveni was joined by his daughter, Patience Rwabwogo Museveni, as he engaged supporters across the district.

“Until Uganda begins drilling oil in 2026, our government is prioritising household poverty eradication over large-scale infrastructure expansion,” Museveni said. “It doesn’t make any sense living along a tarmac road when people are poor in their homes. But when people have wealth, they create jobs, and development starts.”

Local leaders, however, highlighted persistent challenges. Alone Turahi, the Isingiro District Chairperson, noted that the district has more than 2,565 kilometres of roads, arguing that the existing single road unit provided by the government since 2018 is insufficient. He requested two additional units to facilitate proper maintenance. Similarly, Janet Kataha Museveni, Ntungamo District NRM Chairperson, called for additional machinery and funding for the district’s 2,000-kilometre road network.

Responding to these concerns, President Museveni promised improvements on key inter-district roads linking Ntungamo, Isingiro, and Rakai, including Kikagate–Kitwe–Mirama Hills and Kabingo–Rwekubo–Rugaga–Rwangabo–Endizi–Magabi–Rakai–Mutukula. He also pledged work on the Birere–Nyamuyanja–Kabuyanda (48 km) and Kitwe–Rukoni–Bugamba–Buteraniro roads.

The President highlighted government achievements in the sub-region, citing completed projects like the Mbarara–Kikagate–Isingiro road and the Kachumbala–Kabale–Ntungamo road. He encouraged farmers, particularly banana growers, to take advantage of water projects such as the near-complete Kagera Water Project for irrigation and to benefit from initiatives like the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development.

Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe of South Ankole Diocese commended Museveni for delivering a “class on wealth creation” that he said is transforming livelihoods across the country. Moses Kahima, Ruhama County MP, urged the Uganda Tourism Board to develop Ntungamo’s tourist sites, including the Karegyeya Stone and Lake Nyabihoko, noting the district’s untapped potential.

The President also used the campaign trail to stress the importance of wealth creation over mere infrastructure, citing Uganda’s limited public sector employment. He explained that real jobs are created through commercial agriculture, factories, services, and ICT, highlighting successes such as Mbale Industrial Park, which hosts over 75 factories and has generated thousands of jobs.

President Museveni reminded residents of the Four-Acre Model introduced in 1996, demonstrating how farmers can use one acre for coffee, one for fruits, another for pasture, and a fourth for food crops, supplemented by poultry, piggery, or fish farming. He also emphasized ongoing government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, as well as new specialized funds targeting youth, leaders, and small business operators.

NRM District Chairperson Moses Mushabe highlighted Isingiro’s growth, noting its 30 sub-counties, 131 parishes, and population of 635,077, and praised the district’s clean audit record. He reported that Shs. 47.1 billion under PDM has benefited 41,131 households, while 89 SACCOs under Emyooga support over 31,000 members.

Isingiro has also seen improvements in education, health, water, and electricity. Seven new Seed Secondary Schools are under construction, new health facilities are planned, and major water-for-production projects including the Kabuyanda Multipurpose Dam and various valley tanks are underway. The district is now fully connected to the national electricity grid.

The campaign event was attended by Members of Parliament, NRM Central Executive Committee members, cultural and religious leaders, and thousands of supporters, as the President handed over party flags to aspiring local leaders and called for continued support of the NRM in upcoming elections.