Museveni in Kawempe: “You Don’t Sleep on Tarmac Roads—Fix Your Homes 1st!”

Museveni in Kawempe | On March 11, 2025, thousands of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters gathered along Kawempe Highway, converging at the Mbogo Mosque grounds for the party’s final rally in support of their candidate, Faridah Nambi, ahead of the Kawempe North by-election. The rally featured energetic performances and a robust security presence from the Special Forces Command, marking a significant increase in attendance compared to previous events. This surge was largely attributed to President Yoweri Museveni’s presence.

This story is courtesy of NTV UGANDA

The event was attended by high-profile government officials, including Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, various ministers, members of parliament, and senior NRM leaders, showcasing a unified front for the ruling party.

Museveni in Kawempe and Nabbanja Advocate for NRM Support

Prime Minister Nabbanja addressed the crowd, urging voters to support an NRM candidate, arguing that opposition legislators have limited influence in securing government services for their constituencies. She emphasized that for the past 25 years, the people of Kawempe have faced challenges due to not voting for the NRM, and pledged support for Nambi to overcome these issues.

President Museveni reinforced this message, highlighting that electing an NRM candidate would ensure better coordination between the government and the constituency. He noted that while he and the Minister of Kampala can plan and implement initiatives, having a Member of Parliament aligned with the government would address local issues more effectively.

What did NRM pledge through Museveni in Kawempe?

In a bid to garner support, Museveni pledged to increase funding under the Parish Development Model, acknowledging that the current allocation of UGX 100 million per sub-parish was inadequate for urban areas. He committed to allocating more funds to the wards to address this shortfall.

Will Faridah Nambi win the Kawempe North By-Election?

The NRM has historically struggled in opposition strongholds like Kawempe North, having lost key by-elections in areas such as Chadondo East (2017), Jinja Municipality (2018), and Kayunga (2022), amid allegations of vote rigging. With the by-election set for March 13, 2025, Museveni’s direct involvement in the final stretch of the campaign is seen as a strategic move to boost Nambi’s chances. However, whether his influence will be sufficient to sway voter sentiment remains to be seen.

Here’s a properly written version of Museveni’s speech that you can add to your article:

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What notable message did Museveni in Kawempe North leave?

During his final campaign rally for Faridah Nambi at Mbogo Muslim Primary School grounds on March 11, 2025, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni urged the people of Kawempe North to vote for a political party that understands their challenges and has the capacity to solve them.

“First of all, elect a party that understands your problems. If you don’t do that, you will not get a solution. Therefore, don’t just look at Nambi—look at the party first. When listening to the campaigns, focus on whether the party understands your challenges and has the means to address them,” Museveni emphasized.

The by-election was called following the death of area MP Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya in January 2025. Museveni noted that electing an NRM legislator would ensure better service delivery, as they would work closely with the government to address community concerns.

“If you want your problems to be solved, you need to elect a Member of Parliament who works well with the government,” he stated.

What else did Museveni in Kawempe North talk about?

Museveni in Kawempe reflected on his long history with the area, recalling his past engagements in Kawanda, Matugga, Kigogwa, and Sanga. He pointed out that these once-remote areas have since transformed into industrial hubs, thanks to NRM’s stability and infrastructure development.

“Those factories are part of the solution to your problems. They create jobs and markets for your products. They exist because of the stability provided by the NRM and the electricity we established to run them. This proves that from the beginning, the NRM understood your problems and worked towards solutions,” he explained.

He also urged residents to focus on wealth creation, noting that while infrastructure development like tarmac roads, hospitals, and electricity are important, true economic empowerment starts at the household level.

“You don’t sleep on tarmac roads; you sleep in your house. And when you return home, the problems you left in the morning are still waiting for you,” he remarked.

Key Solutions: Free Education and Economic Empowerment

Museveni outlined key initiatives the NRM government has introduced to uplift communities, including free education, job creation programs, and economic empowerment schemes.

“The first solution, apart from peace, was free education in government schools. However, these efforts have been frustrated at the grassroots level. Free education can solve many family problems. That is why we need young leaders like Nambi to ensure implementation at the local level,” he said.

He also highlighted NRM’s economic programs such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, Emyooga, and the Parish Development Model (PDM). He acknowledged that the current PDM funding of UGX 100 million per parish was insufficient for urban areas and promised an increase in allocations to towns like Kawempe.

“The Prime Minister recently informed me that the UGX 100 million we send to parishes is not enough in urban areas. In villages, it has an impact, but here in Kawempe, more funding is needed. We are going to address that,” he assured.

Museveni also questioned why opposition MPs in Kawempe had not raised these concerns before.

“Why haven’t the MPs you elected brought this up?” he asked the crowd.

NRM Gains Ground in Kawempe

The rally also saw 186 people defect from the National Unity Platform (NUP) to the NRM. Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr. Mutebi Edrisa said they had “seen the light” and decided to join the ruling party. First Vice Chairperson of NRM, Alhajji Moses Kigongo, thanked Museveni for personally campaigning for Nambi and praised the large turnout at the rally.

“You have shown today that we can win this by-election. NRM has presented Faridah Nambi as its candidate, and we must support her for victory,” Kigongo said.

In her address, Nambi expressed confidence in her campaign strategy and assured Museveni of an NRM victory. “We have been mobilizing through door-to-door campaigns, and we believe this is the best approach. Thank you, the people of Kawempe, for supporting the NRM party and coming out in big numbers,” she said.

With elections set for March 13, 2025, Museveni’s rally marked a crucial moment in the final push for votes. Whether his influence will be enough to turn the tide in NRM’s favor remains to be seen.