President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer, has today pledged to strengthen peace, improve key road networks and deepen household income initiatives in Rubanda District.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Rubanda, the President said the NRM’s 2026–2031 Manifesto will focus on the continuation of Uganda’s journey of peace, development, and prosperity for all Ugandans.
He told residents that communities in Kisoro and Rubanda understand the value of stability because of their proximity to conflict-affected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“After defeating Kony and the other rebel groups that once disturbed our people, we secured this peace. And we must protect it,” he said.
The President highlighted infrastructure development as a major pillar of his next term, citing completed works such as the Kabale–Kisoro Road.
He confirmed that the government has secured funding for the Katuna–Muko–Kamuganguzi Road.
He assured residents that the Kisoro–Nkuringo–Buguri–Buko Road, the Kabale–Bunyonyi–Kisoro–Mgahinga route and the Hamurwa– Kerere– Kanungu– Kanyantorogo–Butogota–Buhoma/Ifasha–Ikumba stretch will all be upgraded.
“These strategic roads will boost tourism, improve access to markets and increase incomes,” he said.
Reiterating a campaign he began in the 1960s, the President praised the cattle corridor communities who heeded his early call for economic transformation.
“I’m very glad the dairy farmers of 1964–65 listened. We told them to stop moving from place to place trying to run from foot and mouth disease. They listened and now, they’re earning big,” he said.
He then advocated for intensive agriculture, especially for families with limited land.
“If you have a small piece of land say two acres and you grow cotton or tobacco, you get little per year. But you must produce a good or service for sale and you must do it with ekibalo (calculation),” he said.
Explaining the Four-Acre Model first introduced in the 1996 NRM Manifesto, he elaborated, “If you have four acres, do seven things: One acre for coffee , it can bring you Shs15 million a year. The second acre for fruits, the third for pasture you can support cows on one acre.”
“The fourth for food crops for the family. In the backyard, do poultry for eggs, piggery if you’re not a Muslim, and fish farming if you’re near swamps. Fish farming brings a lot of money. One acre accommodates four ponds which make up to Shs80 million a year.”
On the Parish Development Model (PDM), the President reminded beneficiaries that the funds are not giveaways but community-owned investments.
“This PDM is your bank. It is not a handout, it’s a revolving fund meant to uplift you from poverty, those who have received the money must ensure it is put to good use and repaid after two years so that others can also benefit,” he noted.
He also issued a stern warning against misuse or neglect of the program.
“This money belongs to you and your community. If you misuse it or fail to repay, you deny others a chance to improve their livelihoods.
The President also handed over the NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC V chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Rubanda District, formally endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections.
The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), also member of Parliament, Rubanda East Constituency, Hon. Henry Musasizi thanked the President for expanded services in education, health, water and electricity.
He reported progress in government schools, health centre upgrades and rural water systems.
“However, Your Excellency, we request that you enforce the police to curb crime like theft in the villages. This is one of those issues we are facing here,” he noted.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda welcomed President Museveni to Kigezi and urged residents to maintain their support as they have always done.
NRM impact in Rubanda:
Rubanda District has registered notable progress in the education sector, with 110 government primary schools and 81 private ones now serving learners across the district.
The area also has nine government secondary schools and 29 privately run institutions. Government-aided secondary schools continue to offer Universal Secondary Education and UPOLET, with current enrolment standing at 5,381 students.
Out of the district’s 70 parishes, 45 have at least one government primary school, while ongoing construction of two Seed Secondary Schools is expected to reduce the number of sub-counties without a government secondary school from ten to eight once completed.
The district has outlined a series of interventions to improve the health centers, including the upgrading of Muko HCIV and the elevation of Kiyebe, Kaara, Ihunga, Kagarama, Mugyera and Kashasha health centres to HCIII status.
New HC IIIs are also planned for Bubaare, Kacere and Katojo. Rubanda West currently hosts a general hospital, while Rubanda East has a functioning HCIV, each staffed with two medical doctors.
Access to water and sanitation remains mixed. Of the 476 villages in Rubanda, 54% have access to a safe water source, leaving 46% unserved.
Recent improvements include the protection of twelve springs, construction of the Nyakasazi Gravity Flow Scheme and completion of the Burimbe piped water system.
The district has also rehabilitated the Rwanseza and Ruboroga gravity flow schemes and expanded town water systems in Rubanda, Hamurwa, Bubaare, Bufundi, Muko, Kacerere, Nyamweru and several other centres, delivering safe water to tens of thousands of residents.
Ongoing works involve additional protected springs, installation of rainwater harvesting tanks in selected institutions and an expansion programme in Butare–Katojo aimed at extending safe water to hard-to-reach villages. Future plans include new piped water systems for Nshanjare, Katojo and Mugyera town councils.
In the energy sector, Rubanda is now fully connected to the national grid. The government says its next phase will focus on extending electricity to the remaining ten sub-counties which Hamurwa, Bubare, Ikumba, Bufundi, Bubaare, Butare–Katojo, Habuhutu–Mugyera, Kacerere and Ruhija.
On economic empowerment, district data shows Rubanda has 63,754 households, of which 20,733 have so far benefited from the Parish Development Model.
The district has cumulatively received Shs 21.1bn under the programme, with 96.66 percent of the funds already disbursed to beneficiaries. Rubanda further hosts 32 Emyooga SACCOs with a combined membership of 20,963 people, and these have collectively received Shs 1.76bn to support enterprise growth.
The event was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, as well as thousands of supporters.
