President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer, concluded his campaign tour of the Acholi sub-region today with a final stop in Agago District.
He announced that the campaign trail will now move into the Karamoja sub-region beginning with Abim District, carrying forward themes of “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.”
Addressing thousands of supporters at Paul Lokech Memorial Grounds in Agago, Museveni opened by greeting the crowd: “Greetings to the people of Agago.
I am here to ask for your support, to share the achievements of the NRM, and to present the plans we have for this nation.”
He then introduced the NRM manifesto in brief, promising detailed copies would be disseminated down to parish level, and emphasised three central pillars of the party’s vision: “However, my message to you today focuses on three key pillars: Peace, Development, and Wealth Creation.”
Peace as Foundation
Museveni reflected on the Acholi region’s troubled past, burdened by insurgency and cattle rustling, and pledged that the era of chaos has ended.
He cited a previous visit to Baralegi where he discussed cattle rustling, stating: “The last time I was nearby, in Baralegi, we discussed the issue of cattle rustling. What I discovered then was that the army had the capacity to end the problem, but it wasn’t being fully used.”
Using a food analogy to explain work capacity, he noted: “When you want to eat food, you must ensure there’s sauce and water; otherwise, it can choke you. The same applies to work even when you have the capacity, you must use it well.”
He said that previously soldiers were overworked and the rustlers had the advantage of bush terrain and mobility.
“Yet, the rustlers were easier targets when we used air surveillance (UAVs). Today, because we built a strong army and a strong political movement (NRM), peace has returned to this area,” he declared.
Museveni credited local communities for their role in reporting threats. “All of you have contributed by providing information about troublemakers. Through NRM’s politics of unity not sectarianism we have built both peace and strong national institutions like the UPDF,” he observed.
He also recalled how technical responses to other threats have improved security: “Where electric fences have been installed in areas like Queen Elizabeth and Murchison, elephants no longer invade,” he said.
On the issue of cattle camps, he said: “I was surprised to learn that some of you still have protected kraals here. I was guided long ago that only people, not cows, should be in protected camps. People can find food and survive, but cows must graze.
Quick communication from kraals to command centers allows UAVs to respond immediately to any cattle theft. For instance, if cows are stolen in Patongo at night, UAVs can track the rustlers until they are captured. This is how technology strengthens our security systems.”
Development Delivered
Turning to infrastructure and services in Agago, Museveni pointed to major utilities and education that had been extended under his administration.
He noted: “Electricity used to stop in Lira. I decided that it must be extended all the way to West Nile through Kitgum. At one stage, the Swedish partners who were supposed to fund the transmission lines from Patongo–Kolongo–Adilang withdrew. We said: no problem, we shall do it ourselves. This is why prioritisation is key.”
On education, he explained the gap in school provision: “Agago has 112 government primary schools and 117 parishes.
However, only 42 parishes currently host a government primary school, leaving 75 parishes without one. I have instructed the Minister of Education to study this distribution carefully. Every parish should have at least one government primary school.”
He added: “Agago District also has nine government secondary schools and 12 private secondary schools, all offering Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post-Ordinary Level Education and Training (UPOLET) with construction of additional Seed Secondary Schools underway.”
Wealth Creation for All
Museveni stressed that public infrastructure alone cannot relieve poverty unless individuals take personal responsibility for creating wealth.
“Do not be diverted by roads, electricity, and other public infrastructure. Those are collective assets; poverty is personal, and wealth is personal. Each individual, family, and company must take responsibility for creating wealth. That is how we achieve total transformation for our people and country,” he said.
He identified several government programs designed to stimulate household incomes: “We highlighted government programs designed to help Ugandans create wealth, including Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, and the Parish Development Model (PDM).”
“These programs are not for the rich; they are for ordinary Ugandans ready to work and improve their livelihoods,” he emphasised.
Local Endorsements and Impact
At the rally, Agago District NRM Chairperson Walter Oketta Ogwang welcomed the President and paid tribute to his leadership: “Thank you, Mzee, for your leadership and dedication to serving this nation. Today, you have reached our district, and we are most grateful.”
Museveni cited data to illustrate the impact of his government’s programs in Agago: 36,075 households (53.2 % of total) received PDM support with disbursements exceeding Shs. 36 billion; Emyooga reached 17,429 members across 54 SACCOs with Shs. 2.05 billion disbursed; 1,389 cattle compensation claimants were paid Shs. 5.83 billion.
He noted that Agago comprises 26 sub-counties and 1,142 villages. Yet only one sub-county has a HCIV health facility, and 13 sub-counties lack any health facility. Plans include upgrading Patongo HCIV to a general hospital and several HCII upgrades.
Water access has improved to 817 villages (71 %) through piped and solar-powered systems in Patongo, Agago, Paimol, Kalongo, Kotomor, and Agengo.
Irrigation projects like the 12-acre Orama Tebung scheme in Patongo and the 14-acre Odom scheme in Adilang are underway, with future plans including the Geregere earth dam and solar-powered irrigation installations.
Looking Ahead
President Museveni concluded by urging the people of the Acholi sub-region to continue supporting the NRM, participate actively in wealth creation initiatives, and utilise available government programs fully.
As his campaign now shifts to Karamoja, his message is clearly that peace, infrastructure, and economic empowerment are interlinked.
The achievements cited in Acholi serve as a proof of concept for what the NRM pledges to replicate across other previously under-served regions of Uganda.
