As residents gathered under the open sky in Gomba for the district’s first major rally of the season, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni set the tone with a familiar assurance, peace comes first. Without it, he said, neither development nor wealth creation can survive.
Campaigning in Gomba District, Museveni who is the flagbearer for National Resistance Movement (NRM) party told supporters that the peace Uganda has enjoyed for the last 40 years will not be disrupted. He said stability remains the NRM’s greatest achievement and the foundation upon which all progress rests.
“Uganda is stable, yet we are surrounded by many unstable countries in Africa. No one will ever disturb our peace, and whoever tries will regret it badly,” Museveni said.
The President said development follows peace but must be implemented gradually and with discipline. He announced plans to rehabilitate and upgrade key roads, including Kifampa–Bugomola–Kyamuribwa–Villa Maria and Kanoni–Manyi–Mityana–Ssekanyonyi–Busunju, to improve access and trade in the district. He also pledged to extend electricity to Kyahi Sub-county and other areas still off the national grid.
Museveni warned, however, that infrastructure alone cannot lift families out of poverty. He urged households to focus on wealth creation, arguing that roads and power are only useful if people are productive.
“Roads and electricity are important, but how will they help you if your household is still poor?” he asked.
He encouraged farmers to adopt the four-acre model introduced in the 1990s, which combines coffee, fruits, pasture, food crops and enterprises such as piggery, poultry and fish farming. Museveni said zero-grazing delivers higher returns than free-range grazing and should be embraced by farmers seeking better incomes.
Turning to government programmes, Museveni emphasised the Parish Development Model, reminding residents that every parish receives Shs100 million annually. He said the money belongs to the people and must be protected.
“If the money is being stolen, we shall go for the thieves. What is important is that the government sends this money every year,” he said.
He urged communities to take charge of their parish SACCOs, noting that all Ugandans aged 18 and above are eligible to join and benefit from the programme.
The rally also carried a strong message on party discipline. NRM Vice Chairperson Alhaji Moses Kigongo warned supporters against backing so-called “NRM-leaning” candidates, insisting that loyalty to the Movement must be total.
“You cannot say you support the bus and yet vote against it. Anyone who supports the Movement must support it from top to bottom,” Kigongo said.
He cautioned that divided support weakens the party and called on voters to back President Museveni and all official NRM flag bearers.
Earlier, NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda Region Haruna Kasolo commended the leadership for respecting Electoral Commission rules and welcomed the government’s decision to return forest land to local communities. He said land issues remain sensitive in Gomba and require careful handling.
The Gomba rally underscored the NRM’s campaign strategy of safeguarding peace, pushing wealth creation at household level and enforcing party unity, as the ruling party seeks to consolidate support ahead of the elections.
