President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday urged residents of Amudat District in Karamoja Sub-region to continue supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM), saying the ruling party has worked tirelessly to bring peace, stability, and development to the region.
Museveni, who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, thanked the people of Amudat for their unwavering support for the NRM, expressing confidence that they would maintain their strong backing in the forthcoming elections.
The rally, held in Amudat Town, drew thousands of enthusiastic supporters.
Before President Museveni spoke, Maama Janet thanked the residents for their loyalty to the NRM and urged them to turn out in large numbers to secure another decisive victory for the party.
“Thank you for proudly voting NRM almost 100%. We celebrate Amudat in particular and Karamoja in general for that vote,” she said. “Therefore, I trust that even this time, we will make sure that Amudat votes 100% for the President and 100% for the whole line-up of NRM leaders.”
She reminded the people that the NRM government belongs to them and has worked hard to ensure peace and stability in Karamoja.
“The NRM government is your government. It has worked so hard to make sure Karamoja becomes peaceful like any other part of Uganda. So please make it your responsibility to ensure that everybody votes so that we protect our gains in this country and take a qualitative leap for the poor of Uganda, including Karamoja,” she said.
She called upon residents to keep faith in the NRM’s vision for the country.
“All those programmes that are very important to Uganda, which have not yet happened, can then happen in the coming kisanja,” she said.
Taking the podium, President Museveni praised Amudat for its transformation from insecurity to peace, describing it as a “miracle” that demonstrates the success of NRM’s policies over the years.
“If you want to know that miracles are possible in Africa, come to Karamoja and come to Amudat,” Museveni said. “When I see that the population of Amudat has grown from 20,000 to over 200,000, I thank God for being part of that miracle.”
The President reflected on Uganda’s political evolution, explaining that before NRM came to power, electoral and administrative boundaries were poorly organized, leading to confusion and unfair representation.
“Before the NRM, constituencies were created ad hoc. We insisted that each constituency must correspond with a county, and that is how Upe became a constituency,” he said.
Museveni outlined seven key contributions the NRM has made to Uganda over the past 40 years, beginning with peace and security, which he described as the foundation for all other achievements.
He recalled the challenges of disarming the Karamojong, saying he could not allow Ugandans to continue living under the threat of armed cattle rustlers.
“Some said you cannot disarm Karamoja unless you disarm the Turkana, Pokot, Topoth, or even people in Sudan and Ethiopia. But I told them I am not here to disarm Africa — I am here to disarm my people,” Museveni said.
He revealed that Uganda had barred Turkana herders from crossing into the country after they killed three Ugandans, including a government surveyor, and had asked Kenyan President William Ruto to ensure that the victims’ families are compensated.
“If these criminals don’t have money, the Kenya government must pay,” he said. “After the elections, I will come with President Ruto to Moroto to perform a cleansing ceremony for the blood that was shed.”
On development, Museveni cited progress in roads, water, and electricity infrastructure, saying such projects are key to transforming Karamoja’s economy.
“We now have electricity, telephones, and roads reaching Nakapiripirit and soon coming to Amudat. We have solar-powered irrigation systems and valley dams that support both livestock and crops,” he said.
However, he noted that access to borehole water in Amudat remains low at 18 percent and directed the Minister for Karamoja Affairs to investigate the problem.
Museveni listed several projects, including dams, 20 new valley tanks, and solar-powered irrigation schemes, saying they reflect NRM’s commitment to improving livelihoods in Karamoja.
He also cautioned local leaders against neglecting road maintenance, saying no major road in the region should ever become impassable.
“I have warned the Minister of Works and the Minister of Local Government — I don’t want to hear again of a major road that is impassable,” he said.
