The sun had barely pierced through Buyende’s morning haze when 30 year old Sarah whispered to her friend that rallies never used to feel this safe. Her remark carried a quiet truth, one President Yoweri Museveni would later revisit as he told thousands that peace, above all else, remains the NRM’s first building block. By midday, the district square had transformed into a sea of yellow, as residents gathered to hear both the President and the First Lady lay out the NRM’s vision for 2026–2031.
President Museveni arrived in Buyende on Tuesday with the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni. She opened the rally with a call for unity, urging Ugandans not to take for granted the stability the country currently enjoys. Maama Janet said Uganda’s painful history should remind citizens why national cohesion must be protected. “Uganda suffered for many years, but by God’s grace He brought us together and restored peace and unity,” she said. She appealed to all eligible voters to support NRM leadership so “our children grow up in a country where there is freedom and peace for every family.”
When he took the stage, President Museveni thanked Buyende residents for their mobilisation efforts and said the NRM’s endurance lies in its culture of discipline and action. He explained that the party has spent four decades laying what he called the “matofali”, the fundamental building blocks of Uganda’s progress. The first, he said, is peace. He referenced the defeat of rebel groups, cattle rustlers and armed criminal networks, adding that strong institutions such as the UPDF, Parliament, the Judiciary, the Police and the civil service now anchor national stability.
Museveni identified development as the second major pillar of the NRM’s mission. He pointed to improvements in roads, schools and health infrastructure across the country. In Buyende, he noted that government has established 92 primary schools across 73 parishes but acknowledged gaps, saying 36 parishes still lack government schools. He pledged fair redistribution and said the district’s six government secondary schools will increase to meet the target of one per sub-county.
On health, the President said plans include upgrading Kampul and Nkone Health Centre IIs to Health Centre IIIs. He added that new HC IIIs will be built in Gumpi, Buyanja and other underserved sub-counties to improve service delivery.
Museveni revisited his wealth creation message, reminding voters that meaningful development must reach households. He encouraged families to adopt the four-acre model first introduced in the 1996 NRM manifesto. He said the 2026–2031 manifesto will consolidate gains in peace, infrastructure and household prosperity, and he asked Buyende residents for another mandate to complete ongoing work.
NRM First National Vice Chairperson Al-Hajji Moses Kigongo urged party leaders to remain disciplined and united as the country heads toward the 2026 general elections. He said mobilisation must start “in every village” to secure victory at all levels. Moses Magogo, the Buyende District NRM chairperson and MP for Budiope East, thanked the President for development programmes in the district and across Busoga.
During his social media briefing, Museveni assured young people that the NRM remains a “serious Movement built on discipline and hard work.” He reiterated that peace came from defeating rebel groups and cattle rustlers because the NRM built “politics around interests, not identity.” He also said the Mbulamuti–Kamuli–Bukungu road will be worked on, and the Kamuli–Iyingo–Kaliro road has been added to government plans.
By evening, Sarah’s remark about safety felt almost prophetic. For many in Buyende, the rally was not just about politics. It was a reminder of how far the district and the country has come, and what is at stake as Uganda approaches another election year.
