Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni, who is also the NRM presidential candidate has pledged to continue improving road infrastructure in the Lango sub-region as part of his 2026 campaign engagements.
Addressing more than 15,000 NRM leaders at Lango College in Lira City on Sunday, Museveni acknowledged concerns about regional connectivity and promised to review the issue of the eastern access route to ensure equitable infrastructure development across Lango.
“I’m going to study the issue of eastern access, the one you talked about. That one makes sense,” President Museveni said.“It makes no sense for someone from Namasale in Amolatar to travel all the way through Lira, Kamdini, and Karuma when Nakasongola is just across the water.”
He emphasized that the current travel route forces residents to make unnecessary long journeys despite being geographically close to Kampala.
During the meeting, Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua presented a proposal from leaders of Amolatar, Dokolo, and Alebtong districts calling for additional road upgrades to boost trade, tourism, and accessibility.
Obua appealed to the President to consider annexing the 42.4 km Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloe Road to existing major projects such as the Dokolo–Namasale or the Lira–Aloe–Alebtong Road.
He argued that improving the route would open trade corridors, support ferry links at Amolatar and Kaberamaido, reduce travel time between sub-regions, and improve access to tourism circuits including Kidepo Valley National Park.
He further noted that Lango has only 5% tarmac road coverage—the lowest in Uganda—despite strong social infrastructure, citing an Equal Opportunities Commission report.
The Lira event, one of the region’s largest mobilisation meetings, brought together leaders from LC1 to district level as they prepare to rally support for President Museveni and all NRM flag bearers ahead of the 2026 elections.
President Museveni highlighted ongoing and completed infrastructure developments in the region, including the Soroti–Lira Road, the Rwenkunyu–Masindi Port–Lira–Apac Road, and the ongoing Bobi–Aboke Road works. He said these were achieved through prioritisation in national planning.
He reminded the gathering of the NRM’s seven key contributions—peace and security, infrastructure development, wealth creation, education expansion, job creation through modern agriculture and industry, expanded markets, and regional integration—underscoring how these have shaped Uganda’s progress.
President Museveni reflected on Lango’s history of suffering under instability—from the Amin regime, subsequent wars, the LRA insurgency, and cattle rustling.
He cautioned those “playing around with peace” to be mindful of Uganda’s painful past.
He narrated his early opposition to Idi Amin’s 1971 coup, recalling how he left for Tanzania the night the military takeover happened, determined to resist the dictatorship.
The President also revealed that the party will soon discuss the possibility of paying monthly salaries to select grassroots NRM leaders to strengthen mobilisation.
He emphasised, however, that salaries alone would not be a sustainable support mechanism, advocating for wealth creation initiatives as a more impactful approach.
He pointed to Operation Wealth Creation—first piloted in the Luweero Triangle—and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which now allocates an additional Shs 15 million per parish for local leadership activities.
“The best way is to help families to have their own income to support themselves and the party,” he said, rejecting the idea of mandatory subscription fees for poor members as practiced in older political parties.
Praise from Regional Leaders
NRM Second National Vice Chairperson Anita Among praised President Museveni for restoring peace in the region, recalling the days when insecurity from Kony–Lakwena rebels made travel impossible.
She introduced the 15,000 leaders from the ten Lango districts and commended the President for raising LC1 chairperson pay from Shs 10,000 to Shs 100,000.
She also requested that LC1 chairpersons be made ex-officio district council members to strengthen monitoring of government programmes.
Obua described the meeting as historic—the largest of its kind in the sub-region—and urged the President to replicate the model in Acholi and West Nile.
He listed key achievements in Lango, including the establishment of Lira University, upgrading of Lira Hospital to a Regional Referral Hospital, construction of Akii Bua Stadium, and progress on major road projects such as the Dokolo–Kaberamaido–Namasale and Abuke–Bobi roads.
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