President urges residents to sustain NRM support, embrace commercial agriculture, and fully enforce free education
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised the people of Nabilatuk District for their consistent loyalty to the National Resistance Movement (NRM), urging them to maintain their trust in the ruling party in the forthcoming elections.
He said the NRM remains the only political organization in Uganda with a clear understanding of leadership dynamics and a tested strategy for sustainable wealth creation.
“The NRM has established a clear wealth creation strategy which no other contender for leadership has been able to counter,” President Museveni said.
The Head of State made the remarks while addressing a campaign rally at Lolachat Primary School Playground in Nabilatuk District, accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni.
President Museveni applauded the residents for standing firm with the NRM over the years, attributing the region’s stability and transformation to the party’s long-term leadership vision.
“You all are witnesses to how the NRM has been able to create peace in Karamoja and in the rest of Uganda,” he said.
He emphasized that peace remains the foundation upon which all other aspects of national progress are built, particularly in regions like Karamoja that once experienced insecurity and cattle rustling.
The President explained that after restoring peace, the NRM government’s next major focus has been development — both in terms of economic infrastructure, such as roads and water systems, and social infrastructure, including schools and health centers.
“Here in Nabilatuk, you have seen what has been done, such as the tarmacked road, improved water facilities, schools, and health centres,” he said.
However, President Museveni observed that while Nabilatuk has made visible progress, access to safe water remains lower compared to neighboring Nakapiripirit District.
“Out of 96 rural villages, 44 have access to safe water — that is 46%. In Nakapiripirit, it is 82%. You should find out why,” he said.
He disclosed that Nabilatuk currently has one functional piped water system, while three others have been designed and are awaiting implementation.
The government has also constructed several large and small water reservoirs across the district, including Longorikipii and Arengetekat dams, each with a storage capacity of 20,000 cubic meters. Smaller reservoirs have been completed at Aputiputi, Najonai-Kalakal, Nakikokolyae/Kamosing, Namata-Alomaa, Nangorit, and Sakale/Nakoko, each holding 10,000 cubic meters.
Additionally, a valley tank at Napayan with a capacity of 20 million litres has been completed, and a solar-powered irrigation system is being installed to boost agricultural productivity and climate resilience.
Turning to education, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring free learning opportunities for every Ugandan child through the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs.
“Under UPE, we are supposed to have free education, but some people keep charging fees, which makes children drop out of school. I don’t like this. The NRM wants mass education for everybody,” he said.
He appealed to local leaders and parents to support his call to eliminate all illegal school fees in government institutions, noting that the government had already established innovation hubs — such as one in Napak District — to nurture technology and vocational skills among learners.
Nabilatuk currently has 17 government primary schools and three government secondary schools, including the newly completed Lolachat Seed Secondary School.
“The plan of the government is to have one primary school per parish and one secondary school per sub-county. The NRM line is mass education for everyone,” he emphasized.
He added that although Uganda’s education system initially favored day schooling, Karamoja’s unique security challenges might require temporary adjustments.
“We shall discuss and see what can be done — perhaps make Karamoja have boarding sections for some time and, after 10 years, review whether the model can be applied elsewhere,” the President said.
On health, President Museveni commended the region for its improved immunization coverage, which he said has contributed to significant population growth over the decades.
“When I first came to campaign in Karamoja in the 1980s, the population was 190,000. Today, it stands at 1.3 million,” he said.
He revealed plans to upgrade Lolachat Health Centre II to a Health Centre III, alongside ongoing construction of Natarie HC II, Nayonai Angikalio HC III, Lorengedwat HC III, and Nabilatuk HC IV to strengthen the district’s healthcare system.
The President also encouraged the residents to view wealth creation as an individual responsibility that complements public development.
“You must add wealth creation alongside development because you can have development and still remain poor. Development benefits everyone, but wealth creation is for an individual,” he explained.
He advised citizens to invest in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and services such as transport and hospitality, saying these sectors are generating millions of jobs nationwide.
“The government employs about 480,000 people, but factories alone employ 1.3 million — almost four times that number,” he noted.
Addressing concerns about grazing restrictions in protected areas, President Museveni assured pastoralists that the government would seek a fair balance between conservation and livelihoods.
“They told me UWA wants to stop them from grazing in the park because they graze side by side with animals. I said they can continue grazing as we discuss with elders to find the right balance,” he said.
He however reminded the residents that tourism also plays a vital role in supporting the local economy and must be preserved.
On her part, the First Lady, Maama Janet Museveni, expressed gratitude to the people of Nabilatuk for their warm reception and steadfast support to the NRM government.
“When I come to Karamoja, for me it is homecoming. Thank you for receiving us with traditional songs,” she said.
She reaffirmed that the NRM government values the people of Karamoja deeply and urged them to safeguard the peace achieved under President Museveni’s leadership.
“It is our responsibility to protect that peace and not take it for granted. We have not forgotten how we used to walk through these bushes encouraging the Karamojong to grow food for their families instead of depending on the World Food Programme,” she said.
Maama Janet further praised the region’s efforts toward food security and self-reliance.
“I am happy that now you are producing food and even keeping surplus in your granaries. The work of the NRM now is to help the Karamojong make a qualitative leap — from grass-thatched houses to modern homes,” she added.
The rally in Nabilatuk reaffirmed President Museveni’s long-standing relationship with the Karamoja sub-region — one that has evolved from pacification and peacebuilding to long-term social transformation and economic empowerment.
As the campaign season gains momentum, the President’s message to Nabilatuk was clear: to consolidate peace, accelerate development, and ensure that every household participates in wealth creation for a prosperous and self-sustaining Karamoja.
