By KT Reporter
Residents of Fort Portal City and Kabarole District are urging President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to fulfil a series of long-standing development pledges that they say have stalled progress in the Tooro region.
Their renewed call comes ahead of the President’s scheduled campaign visit to the area on Saturday, as he seeks another term as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer.
For years, locals have been waiting for the government to deliver on commitments such as the construction of Buhinga Stadium, the tarmacking of the Fort Portal-Kijura and Saaka roads, and the establishment of the Kyembogo Industrial Park. Many of these promises, some made more than a decade ago, remain incomplete, fuelling frustration over delayed infrastructure and service delivery.
One of the most critical projects is the 30-kilometre Fort Portal-Kijura Road, which, despite being a strategic corridor connecting Kabarole and Kyenjojo districts and serving Hakibale Sub-County, a key tea-growing hub with several factories, remains in a deplorable state. Residents say its poor condition is hurting trade and increasing transport costs for farmers and businesses.
A similar concern surrounds Saaka Road, which links Fort Portal City to Kichwamba Sub-County and provides access to vital government institutions, including the Mountains of the Moon University, the UPDF Mountain Division Headquarters, Saaka Airstrip, and Katojo Government Prison. Locals argue that the government’s failure to upgrade this important route undermines service delivery and disrupts mobility for communities and institutions along the road.
In 2018, President Museveni laid a foundation stone for Buhinga Stadium, raising hopes that the region would soon have a modern sports facility. But six years later, only a perimeter wall stands at the site, with no significant construction progress made.
That same year, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh), launched the Kyembogo Industrial Park project in Kabarole. The initiative was expected to spur industrial growth and create jobs, but it stalled due to a land ownership dispute between Kabarole District Local Government and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), leaving the project in limbo.
Patrick Amanyire Kasoro, the Fort Portal City North Division Youth Councillor, told URN that residents of Tooro are increasingly disillusioned by promises that never materialise.
“Some of these pledges were made 14 years ago. Every time the President comes, he tells us that they will be worked on after we vote for him again, but nothing changes. Are we going to continue voting for what we don’t get?” Kasoro asked.
Kasoro also appealed for a dedicated youth fund or skilling hub targeting ghetto youth in Fort Portal City, noting that unemployment is driving young people into crime and other social challenges. He believes targeted government support could provide meaningful alternatives and restore hope among the youth.
Jeila Kakyo, another resident, expressed optimism that the stalled Kyembogo Industrial Park could still be revived, saying it has the potential to create thousands of jobs for the region’s youth.
For Ivan Tumusime, the government’s neglect of Saaka Road is unacceptable. He argues that the road’s poor state compromises access to public institutions and services, affecting both residents and the government offices located along the route.
Denis Mugume, also a resident, appealed to President Museveni to prioritise improvements in health and education. He cited frequent drug stockouts in hospitals and called for timely deliveries, as well as increased capitation grants for government-aided schools to improve learning conditions.
As the President prepares to visit, residents say they hope his presence will spark a renewed commitment to completing these long-standing projects. They believe that fulfilling the pledges is critical to unlocking Tooro’s economic potential and restoring public trust in government promises.
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