By KT Reporter
There are mixed reactions in Luwero district over gains attained during the National Resistance Movement government ahead of President Yoweri Museveni’s campaign launch.
President Museveni is expected to launch his presidential campaign on 30th September 2025, at the Bukalasa Agricultural College playground located in Wobulenzi town. The campaigns are under the theme ‘Protecting the Gains’.
Luwero, the key epicentre of the National Resistance Army (NRA) war of 1981-1986 that brought Museveni to power, has traditionally been the starting point for his campaigns, recognising its historic support.
Museveni’s popularity sank to the lowest levels in the 2021 general elections when he obtained only 41,166 votes (27.94%) and his rival, Robert Kyagulanyi, garnered 103,782 votes (70.45%) from Luwero district.
The NRM party also lost the four Member of Parliament seats and several other local government positions.
Local leaders and residents blamed the decline on the NRM’s poor service delivery in the area that brought it to power.
Ahead of the launch of Presidential campaigns, NRM leaders say they are ready to regain support for both Museveni and NRM flagbearers, citing gains and improved service delivery during their terms since they came to power.
Denis Kibirige, the NRM Luwero District Publicity Secretary, says that the government has done many things for the area, which they seek to tell voters as they popularise the party candidates.
Kibirige said that, unlike the rivals, they intend to focus more on issue-based campaigns highlighting the gains and the need to protect them.
The NRM party has listed achievements in Luwero district as a 31 billion Shillings grant, which has benefited 32,722 residents so far in the Parish Development Model programme.
Others are 70 youth who graduated in the Presidential Skilling programme and a 1.8 billion Emyooga grant to SACCOs in three constituencies located in the district.
In infrastructure development, the NRM government boasts of the construction of 230 Universal Primary Education schools with a total enrollment of 129,287 pupils and 2,389 teachers. In the Secondary section, there are 24 government schools with 802 teachers, and the total enrollment stands at 46,648 students.
In the water sector, the NRM government boasts of increased access to clean water to 87% and 1,436 water sources, including water schemes and boreholes, among others.
In the health sector, NRM boasted of the construction and renovation of 40 health facilities from five that existed when they came to power. The government is also boasting of the elevation of Luwero Health Centre IV to hospital status.
Herbert Kigo, the District Councillor for Kalagala sub-county, said there has been huge investment in the construction of facilities, which has improved access to services.
Dr Robert Kiyini, the NRM MP flagbearer for Bamunanika County, said that the few weaknesses that blight party achievements, which include the stealing of drugs in health centres, can be resolved because they are individual mistakes.
Pascal Imarach, the Chairperson of District NRM Veterans League, said that it’s the prevailing peace brought by the NRM government that has seen rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of the area. Luwero currently has eight town councils.
Rosemary Namayanja, the NRM Deputy Secretary General, said that although the district may not be where all people want it to be, there are significant gains across all sectors, and the government is determined to do better to improve service delivery.
In the financial year, the NRM government earmarked 6.1 billion shillings to complete the district headquarters, and 2.5 billion shillings have already been disbursed to complete the 100-bed capacity ward at the district hospital. These were key issues that the opposition used to decampaign us in the last general elections, but now that is history,” Namayanja.
Luwero district budget has also grown to a tune of 100 billion shillings in the financial year 2025/26.
But opposition leaders led by incumbent LCV Chairman Erastus Kibirango (NUP) downplayed the gains, saying these remain little compared to the heavy price they paid to bring the NRM government to power.
Kibirango said that although the NRM government boasts of industrialisation, many youths in the area remain unemployed, and the local government gets little revenue from industries.
Kibirango said the major demand for the area is affirmative action, where the area gets a higher budget for key infrastructure projects to spur rapid development.
He added that although the district budget appears substantial, 58% is allocated for salaries, 30% for non-wages, and only 11.7% is planned for development, which cannot drive the desired development.
Bunjo Ssengule, the Luwero District Spokesperson of the NUP Party, said the area is now a fertile ground for opposition, and they will consolidate their support in the 2026 general elections.
Bunjo said the NRM government has failed to maintain the area road network and fulfil its pledges to construct a pineapple fruit processing plant, among many others.
Bunjo said, like other parts of Uganda, the area believes Museveni has overstayed and should be replaced with new blood.
Luwero district will be a district to watch as President Museveni and NRM flagbearers struggle to recapture it from the opposition.
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