By KT Reporter
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the presidential candidate of the National Unity Platform (NUP), has pledged to restore the lost glory of Mbale City if elected president.
Kyagulanyi made the pledge on Friday while addressing residents of Nakaloke Town Council in the Northern City Division as he continued his campaign for the country’s top office. Earlier, he had held his first rally in Marale Village, Industrial Division, before proceeding to Nakaloke.
Along the way, police and military personnel diverted his convoy onto dusty outskirts roads before it eventually reached the town council. Upon arrival, Kyagulanyi was welcomed with his signature song, Kyarenga, sparking loud applause from supporters who had gathered to hear his message.
As the region marks a traditional circumcision season for the Bamasaba community, Kyagulanyi witnessed the circumcision of one of his supporters, Gidongo Sam. He commended him for braving the ritual and welcomed him into manhood in line with Bamasaba cultural norms.
Addressing the crowd, Kyagulanyi lamented the deteriorating state of Mbale City, once hailed as one of the cleanest towns in East and Central Africa. He said the city is now plagued by poor road infrastructure and underperforming health facilities, many of which date back to the era of Milton Obote.
He assured residents that a NUP-led government would prioritise improved health service delivery and better remuneration for teachers, police officers, and military personnel. Kyagulanyi further urged Ugandans not to be intimidated from safeguarding their votes, noting that with a national population of about 47 million people, citizens should not allow electoral fraud.
He dismissed claims by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) that NUP’s support is confined to Central Uganda, arguing that the large turnouts at rallies across the country demonstrate the party’s national appeal.
On corruption, Kyagulanyi condemned what he described as rampant graft, saying Uganda loses an estimated 10 trillion shillings annually to the vice, funds he pledged to recover and redirect toward national development if elected.
Kyagulanyi was accompanied by several NUP leaders, including the party’s Vice President for Eastern Uganda, John Baptist Nambeshe; Manjiya County MP and NUP flag bearer for the Mbale City Woman Parliamentary seat, Aisha Nakayenze; Ivan Masaba, the party’s flag bearer for the Northern City Division parliamentary seat; and Hajji Masa Musa, NUP’s mayoral candidate for Mbale City.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
