President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on voters in Adjumani West County to unite behind the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, James Pilli Leku, saying political unity is essential for peace, development and effective representation.
President Museveni made the call today while campaigning for Leku at Padiri Stadium in Adjumani Town Council, shortly after paying tribute to the late Gen. Moses Ali by laying a wreath at his grave at Taqwa Mosque.
“I’m here to beg you to support Leku because he is the one who will support NRM, and I thank all the others who have supported him,” President Museveni said.
The President welcomed the decision by former candidate Ben Anyama to withdraw from the race and support Leku, describing the move as a step towards promoting peace and unity among the people of Adjumani.
He appealed to both his supporters and those who had backed other candidates to rally behind the NRM candidate.
“I ask my supporters and the supporters of other candidates, for the sake of peace and unity, to rally behind the NRM candidate and cooperate,” President Museveni said.
President Museveni said Leku had worked closely with the NRM and urged voters to give him their support to enable him to coordinate effectively with government programmes.
The President also used the campaign rally to highlight government investments in infrastructure and social services in West Nile, particularly road construction.
He said the government was continuing to expand the road network and improve connectivity across the region.
“Instead of war, we now have tarmacked roads from Kampala to Nimule,” President Museveni said.
He cited the Laropi–Moyo road and other road links in the region, including the Laropi Bridge, as some of the infrastructure projects requiring continued government attention. He also mentioned the upgrading of the Nebbi–Gulu road.
President Museveni said improved education infrastructure was another area in which Adjumani had registered progress.
Recalling his own school days, he said Adjumani had very few secondary schools at the time, compared with the current number.
“In 1961, I went to Ntare School, and we had a boy from Adjumani. Not a single A-Level secondary school was here by that time. We had only six secondary schools in Uganda by that time, but we now have 11 secondary schools in Adjumani District,” he said.
He also cited the expansion of electricity access, saying the government had extended power to Adjumani and other parts of the country.
“We now have electricity all the way from Adjumani, and from Lira–Pakwach–Arua to Koboko districts,” President Museveni said.
However, President Museveni cautioned that physical infrastructure alone should not be considered the ultimate measure of development.
He urged residents to focus on improving household incomes and wealth creation.
“There is a difference between development and wealth,” he said.
He explained that while roads, schools, health centres and electricity benefit communities, individual households must also become economically stronger.
“The tarmac road is for all of us, but development is for your house. Let’s divert some money from roads, schools and health centres to the Parish Development Model (PDM) because PDM addresses development,” President Museveni said.
He cited households where children lack basic necessities, including proper bed sheets, and families that struggle to afford basic commodities such as sugar, saying such challenges demonstrate the need to prioritise household wealth creation.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Northern Region, Hon. Dennis Hamson Obua presented a group of opposition politicians and supporters who crossed to the ruling party ahead of the Adjumani West County parliamentary by-election.
The defectors include members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and the National Unity Platform (NUP).
The FDC group was led by Patrick Tandrupasi, who withdrew from the Adjumani West parliamentary race and declared his support for the NRM candidate.
NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong said the latest defections demonstrate the growing strength of the ruling party in the West Nile sub-region.
Rt. Hon. Todwong noted that the NRM fraternity is continuing to expand as more opposition politicians and supporters in the region embrace the ruling party.
He also commended the harmonious coexistence between refugees and their host communities in Adjumani District, noting that the two populations are almost equal in size and have continued to live alongside each other.
Rt. Hon. Todwong called on political leaders in Adjumani to promote discipline and mutual respect among their supporters and rally behind the NRM candidate, James Leku Pilli, in the Adjumani West County by-election.
He also congratulated President Museveni on reaching his 82nd birthday, describing the milestone as an occasion to celebrate the President’s leadership and contribution to Uganda.
The NRM Chairman for Adjumani District, Akuku Charles Anzo, commended President Museveni for what he described as the peace and security prevailing in the country.
He also urged voters to embrace government wealth-creation programmes and appealed to the President to support the construction of Laropi Bridge.
Akuku further asked the government to consider elevating Adjumani Town Council to municipal status.
Earlier, Anyama, who had initially contested the seat, announced his decision to support Leku and called on the people of Adjumani to remain united.
The campaign rally comes ahead of the Adjumani West County parliamentary by-election scheduled for September 17, 2026, following the death of Gen. Moses Ali.
The rally was attended by Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, NRM supporters and area residents.
