Prime
Issues awaiting Museveni as he starts Buganda tour
President Museveni tours the farm of Mr Julius Akorinako (right), a retired district inspector of schools in Kamwenge District, during the PDM tour of Rwenzori Sub-region in May 2025. PHOTO/PPU
What you need to know:
- The PDM tour kicks off in the Greater Luweero, an area that bore the brunt of the five-year guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power nearly four decades ago.
President Museveni is today expected to embark on a regional tour of Buganda to assess the performance of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and rally support for his anti-poverty agenda. Residents in Masaka and other parts of the region have expressed optimism, hoping the President will offer practical solutions to pressing challenges.
Top among these concerns is rampant land grabbing, which has left thousands homeless following evictions from ancestral lands. The problem is widespread—from Nakaseke to Kayunga, Mukono, Kalungu, Mpigi, and Luweero—residents report a surge in unlawful evictions.
Also expected to feature prominently in the residents’ demands are the rising cost of living, urban crime, and unreliable electricity supply, which have disrupted business operations since April 1, when Umeme, the former power distributor, handed over to the government-owned Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL).
The tour kicks off in the Greater Luweero, an area that bore the brunt of the five-year guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power nearly four decades ago. The tour is part of his broader campaign to promote government wealth creation initiatives such as the PDM, touted as a tool to lift many Ugandans out of poverty.
Mr Atanansi Lufuuma, the chairperson of Kibujjo-Seeta Village in Wakiso District, said land evictions remain a hot-button issue, exacerbated by individuals with political connections.
“When President Museveni was re-elected in 2021, he promised in Kyankwanzi on April 15 to work with legislators to resolve the land crisis once and for all. But it’s still the elephant in the room,” Mr Lufuuma said. Despite the high cost of electricity, the supply remains erratic. Many areas are experiencing frequent blackouts.
“Even after Umeme’s exit, power is still unreliable. We’ve spent two weeks without work or light because our transformer broke down. We need assurance from the President,” said Mr Samuel Sekiziyivu, a welder in Nabbingo-Batakka Cell, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District.
Frustration in Luweero
In Luweero, residents and leaders blame slow infrastructure development and poor service delivery for declining support for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). Ms Agnes Kirabo Nantongo, the Central Youth Female MP, highlighted the poor road network, persistent power outages, and unresolved land disputes as key issues frustrating constituents.
“Our people are grappling with numerous challenges, and some of our leaders are powerless to address them. We urge the government to act to restore confidence among NRM supporters,” she said. Ms Anna Rose Nakanwagi, a resident of Wobulenzi Town Council, accused PDM officials of sidelining genuine beneficiaries.
“I registered for PDM support, but my name was removed from the list without explanation. The money is going to family members and friends of officials,” she claimed. Some residents argue that the NRM’s own leaders are responsible for the rising influence of the Opposition in Luweero, the cradle of the NRM revolution.
“Our leaders know the challenges—poor roads, weak healthcare, land disputes—but they’ve failed to address them. The Opposition uses this failure to discredit the NRM,” said Mr Ibrahim S. Kabandwa, a resident.
In Kassanda District, residents such as Dunson Kisekuulo are pleading for intervention to combat rising crime. “We’re trying to escape poverty through coffee farming, but our crops are stolen, people are killed, and justice is elusive. We need real solutions,” he said.
Buganda’s urbanisation has made it especially vulnerable to food price shocks. Prices of staples such as sugar, rice, chicken, and meat have risen sharply in recent months.
“For instance, sugar now costs between Shs4,000 and Shs4,500, up from Shs3,800 at the beginning of the month,” said Ms Janet Nakajjubi, a resident of Mukono Town.
“Even maize flour, which is usually affordable, has become expensive. Life is getting harder,” she added.
Political stakes
The President’s tour comes as the NRM seeks to regain lost ground in Buganda ahead of the 2026 general elections. Buganda overwhelmingly voted for the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) in 2021.
Under the Buganda for Museveni (BM7) campaign, ministers and MPs are traversing districts to promote government programmes and drum up support for President Museveni.
During the 2021 elections, NUP flag bearer Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) won Buganda with 62 percent of the vote compared to Mr Museveni’s 35 percent.
Analysts linked the NRM’s poor showing to unfulfilled promises, land evictions, disappearances, and corruption. At a rally in Luweero on Sunday, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka called on local leaders to take responsibility.
“If the same issues keep coming up, we—local leaders—are the problem. It’s our duty to monitor government projects and ensure proper implementation,” he said.
Mr Kiwanuka announced that Shs6.1 billion has been budgeted in the 2025/2026 financial year to complete the Luweero District Administration Block, a project pending for over a decade.
Leaders in Greater Luweero also criticised the government for failing to elevate any towns in the area to municipality status, a move they say would improve service delivery through access to World Bank-funded programmes such as USMID.
Mr Ronald Ndaula, the Luweero NRM District chairperson, said: “If we had a municipality, we wouldn’t be complaining about bad roads or lack of infrastructure. Municipalities attract funding and development.”
At the same rally, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko rejected claims that Luweero has been forgotten.
“We must stop blaming others. It’s our responsibility to develop Luweero. We cannot expect outsiders to come fix our problems,” she said. “You voters also elected Opposition MPs who don’t sit in the NRM caucus, where key decisions are made. That was a mistake,” she added.
Masaka’s unfulfilled promises
In Greater Masaka, residents are still waiting for projects promised by the President, including a juice processing plant, glass factory, and the tarmacking of roads connecting Namirembe and Ddimo landing sites to Bukunda.
Other pending pledges include tarmacking the Lumbugu–Buyamba–Kagamba–Lwamaggwa–Lyantonde road, extending piped water in Rakai, provision of excavators for valley tanks, rural electrification of Rakai and a ferry to connect Kasensero to Nangoma Island “We hope this visit will force action. Some of these promises are nearly a decade old,” said Sam Ssekitto, a resident of Kyotera Town.
