President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on Ugandans to reject voter bribery and uphold integrity in elections, warning that selling votes undermines democracy and jeopardizes national development.
“Why should you be influenced and throw away your power to elect your desired candidate?” President Museveni said. “When you see someone bringing money, avoid them. You have the power—don’t throw it away.”
He made the remarks on Wednesday during a rally at Kituntu Sub-county in Mpigi District, where he concluded his zonal tour of Greater Mpigi under the Parish Development Model (PDM) campaign.
The President emphasized that the government has introduced biometric voter verification systems to prevent electoral fraud, saying, “We shall not allow vote rigging anymore.”
His appeal comes as the country gears up for the 2026 general elections.
At the same event, President Museveni welcomed 184 defectors from other political parties into the National Resistance Movement (NRM), further asserting the party’s expanding influence ahead of the polls.
During the rally, he reflected on the NRM’s legacy, highlighting peace, infrastructure development, and education as key achievements. “In 1961, there were only six A-Level schools. Now Greater Mpigi alone has 28 government schools offering A-Level,” he said.
The President stressed the importance of wealth creation at the household level, arguing that poverty and prosperity are personal choices despite national development efforts. “When you return from this meeting, you’ll still find the poverty you left at home,” he said. “That’s why NRM is not in politics for a show but to help you get out of poverty.”
He cited successful PDM beneficiaries, including Rashida Namubiru of Butambala, Namutebi Deborah of Gomba, and Hajji Muhammad Zziwa of Mpigi, as examples of how small investments can transform lives.
Museveni explained that through PDM, every parish receives Shs100 million annually, which if managed well, could grow to Shs800 million over five years through repayments and reinvestment. “You don’t have to borrow from moneylenders anymore,” he said.
To date, Shs33.429 billion has been disbursed to 130 PDM SACCOs in the region—Shs14.4 billion to Mpigi, Shs12.6 billion to Gomba, and Shs6.428 billion to Butambala.
The President reiterated that wealth creation, not government jobs, remains the most effective route to employment. He noted that Uganda’s government employs only 480,000 people out of a population of 46 million.
Highlighting the role of private enterprise, he cited Fred Byamukama’s farm in Kagadi, which employs 26 people, as a model of job creation. “Industries in Uganda now employ 1.2 million people,” he added.
In health, Museveni announced that the government will construct a hospital in Mpigi District. He urged parents to immunize children against killer diseases and cervical cancer, and to prioritize abstinence and fidelity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“I’m now 80 years old, but who has ever heard that Museveni is sick or hospitalized?” he said, underscoring the value of preventive health.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda, Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, called on residents to rally behind President Museveni as the party’s 2026 flag bearer and urged them to support all NRM candidates to reverse losses from the 2021 elections.
The PDM tours are part of a broader initiative to uplift 3.5 million households from subsistence farming by 2026. The President has already visited beneficiaries in Greater Masaka, Teso, Bugisu, Busoga, Bukedi, Sebei, Karamoja, Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Ankole, Tooro, Rwenzori, and Bunyoro.
The Kituntu event was attended by senior government officials including Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, Judith Nabakooba, Haruna Kasolo, Evelyn Anite, Rose Namayanja, Lydia Wanyoto, and several Members of Parliament.
