Yoweri Museveni on Monday campaigned in Bukonzo East, Kasese District, urging residents to embrace commercial agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing as sustainable paths to wealth creation and employment.
Addressing supporters, Museveni said peace and stability had created a strong base for development in Kasese and across Uganda. He noted that communities in the district, which borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, understand the cost of insecurity because they have experienced both calm and conflict in the past.
The President credited Uganda’s improved security to clear national politics and the rejection of divisive identity-based leadership. He said groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces, although still present in eastern Congo, no longer threaten Uganda’s internal security.
Museveni also pointed to infrastructure growth under the National Resistance Movement government. He cited expanded road networks, schools, health centres, electricity, and communication systems. According to him, access to electricity in Kasese marked major progress compared to earlier years when the region lacked power.
Turning to household income, Museveni urged residents to fight poverty by investing in productive activities. He stressed the importance of irrigation to increase agricultural output in Kasese, noting that national production of coffee, bananas, sugar, and maize had risen sharply, even though not all households had fully benefited yet.
On employment, Museveni said government should not be the largest employer. Instead, he argued that long-term jobs come from wealth-generating sectors. He cited commercial agriculture as a major employer, pointing to examples where individual farmers have created hundreds of jobs through large-scale farming.
He further highlighted manufacturing and tourism as critical engines of job growth. Museveni welcomed calls for an industrial park in Kasese and said tourism globally earns more income than coffee. He added that the Rwenzori Mountains region holds strong tourism potential that remains underutilized.
“The future of Kasese lies in commercial agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing,” Museveni said, calling on voters to support the NRM in upcoming elections to protect and expand development gains.
Earlier, NRM Vice Chairperson for the Western Region Jonard Asiimwe thanked residents for attending the rally in large numbers and praised Museveni’s nationwide campaign. He reminded the President about the proposed Kasese industrial park and invited him to return to lay a memorial stone at Katebwa.
Museveni concluded by pledging continued government support for Kasese, including more equipment and funding for road maintenance. He also encouraged political converts to join parish SACCOS under the Parish Development Model, revealing plans to increase funding from Shs100 million to between Shs200 million and Shs300 million.
