NAKASEKE.
President Yoweri Museveni has assured residents of Nakaseke District, particularly those living in forest reserves, that the government will not evict them ,but will instead formalise their stay through lease arrangements that promote wealth creation alongside environmental conservation.
Addressing a campaign rally at Nakaseke District headquarters in Butalangu on Tuesday, 30 December, 2025, President Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, stated that the government would engage with settlers occupying forest reserve land and allow them to use it under long-term leases of up to 49 years, provided they participate in tree planting and adopt sustainable land use practices.
“We are going to arrange to enable you to enter an agreement with the government to give you a lease on that land for something like 49 years,” President Museveni said.
“As you carry out your wealth creation activities, such as commercial farming and grazing animals, you will be required to preserve that land by planting trees.”
The President clarified that the land in question had originally been set aside by the government for forest establishment, but noted that forest restoration could still be achieved through the active participation of communities already settled there.
“If it was a traditional forest like Budongo Forest, I would have chased you,” President Museveni added, drawing laughter from the crowd, as he distinguished between protected natural forests and degraded reserves that can be restored through agro-forestry.
The assurance followed concerns raised earlier by the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among, who warned that residents in forest reserves such as Kanyogoga, Kamusenene, Wakyato, and parts of Ngoma trading centre were facing imminent eviction by the National Forestry Authority (NFA).
She told the rally that many of the settlements had over time developed into fully-fledged communities with schools, health centres, places of worship, and other public amenities, making eviction socially and economically disruptive.
Nakaseke District hosts several central forest reserves, including Kapimpini and Kamusenene, which have come under pressure from human settlement, agriculture, and grazing.
President Museveni, who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the party’s presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general elections, said he was pleased to return to Bulemeezi, describing it as a historically diverse and significant region.
“This is our traditional place with people from all walks of life — Baganda, Banyankore, Lugbara and others,” he said.
Nakaseke lies at the heart of the Luweero Triangle, which was a major battleground during the 1981–1986 NRA bush war.
Using the rally to campaign for renewal of the NRM mandate, President Museveni outlined what he described as the party’s seven major contributions to Uganda over the last four decades, urging voters to use them as a basis for the 2026 decision. At the top of the list, he placed peace and security.
“Uganda was in wars for a long time, even before Europeans came but it has been 40 years since the NRM has kept Uganda peaceful.”
He argued that sustained peace had provided the foundation for development, investment, and wealth creation across the country, including in previously war-ravaged areas like Nakaseke.
On infrastructure, President Museveni recalled that for a long time, the Kampala–Luweero–Gulu road was the only major road serving the region. Since then, the government has invested in new and upgraded roads, including the Matugga–Semuto–Kapeeka road.
“We have added on Kampala–Luweero–Butalangu, and we are going to expand it to Ngoma up to Masindi,” he said.
The President urged voters to elect leaders who understand government priorities and can effectively lobby for development.
“Ask the Members of Parliament you will elect to listen to my message, especially on the issue of prioritisation,” he said.
He noted that Nakaseke previously had no electricity but now enjoys near-universal access, with plans to extend power to remaining unserved areas.
In education, President Museveni said the district now has numerous primary, secondary, and technical institutions, including a teachers’ training college, compared to just a handful in the past.
Wealth creation beyond subsistence:
However, President Museveni cautioned residents against relying solely on social services and subsistence farming, emphasising that wealth creation at the household level was critical.
“NRM has been telling you from the beginning that you must also work for the pocket, not only for eating,” he said.
He cited the example of George Matongo of Ngoma in Nakaseke, who transformed his life through commercial dairy farming.
“That man collects 900 litres of milk per day, earning Shs21 million per month and over Shs200 million in a year,” President Museveni said.
The President also challenged local dairy farmers, many of whom own large tracts of land, to adopt intensive farming practices instead of extensive grazing, which he described as under-utilisation of land.
“Use your land profitably by planting grass and feeding many cows in a small place,” he advised.
To reinforce the message, President Museveni highlighted Joseph Ijara, who runs both poultry and dairy farming on just 2.5 acres.
Ijara started with four cows, which have grown to eight, producing between 20 and 36 litres of milk per cow per day. He also sells 600 trays of eggs monthly.
“He earns Shs6 million from eggs and about Shs800,000 from milk, totaling Shs6.8 million per month,” President Museveni said.
“What you need to understand is to use small amounts of land and earn more. On one acre, you can put eight dairy cows and get out of poverty.”
Lessons from Karamoja:
President Museveni also cited examples beyond Nakaseke to show that wealth creation is possible even in less developed regions.
He pointed to Korea Dick Ogira, a model farmer in Abim District, Karamoja sub-region, who received 200 mango seedlings under Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and Shs1 million through the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Ogira planted mangoes alongside cassava on two acres and earned Shs12 million in the first year by selling mangoes at Shs1,000 each.
“Next year I expect to get Shs18 million, and in a year Shs32 million after two harvests,” Ogira said in a video clip shown at the rally.
“That man is in Abim, where there is no tarmac road, but he is creating wealth,” President Museveni said. “Development may not be there, but wealth is there.”
Jobs come from wealth:
The President said wealth creation leads directly to job creation, dismissing claims that government is the main source of employment.
“Government jobs are only 480,000 against a population of 50 million,” he said. “Jobs are in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, artisanship, services and ICT.”
He cited Johnson Basangwa of Jeka Poultry Farm in Kamuli District, who produces 2,000 trays of eggs daily, earning about Shs20 million per day.
“Basangwa employs 300 people,” President Museveni said. “He started poultry on a 50 by 100 plot. His wealth has created jobs.”
The President also referenced industrial parks such as Sino-Mbale, which hosts 75 factories employing about 12,000 workers, and Namanve Industrial Park with 273 factories employing over 24,000 people.
Closer to Nakaseke, President Museveni pointed to Kapeeka Industrial Park as evidence of NRM’s commitment to industrialisation and employment.
During the rally, President Museveni acknowledged additional concerns, including land grabbing, land use conflicts, the welfare of veterans and former fighters, and outdated road equipment in the district. He pledged continued engagement to address the issues.
On her part, Maama Janet thanked residents for turning up in large numbers and urged them to protect the gains achieved under NRM.
“The people of Nakaseke must not forget that the rally should continue on January 15 by voting for Museveni and other NRM flag bearers,” she said.
“Vote for NRM to continue working for Uganda to be an example in Africa — a country with families transforming themselves into wealth.”
NRM Deputy Secretary General, Hon. Rose Namayanja hailed the transformation of Bulemeezi from a war zone to a thriving commercial area with milk coolers and commercial dairy production.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Central Region, Hon Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune thanked Gen. Salim Saleh for guiding Nakaseke residents on NRM ideology and praised local leaders for avoiding NRM-leaning independents.
Nakaseke NRM Chairperson Hajji Mohammed Ggubya welcomed President Museveni and highlighted post-war recovery.
“Before the war, towns like Kiwoko, Nakaseke, Kapeeka and Semuto existed, but the war destroyed them,” he said. “Now they are back with storied commercial buildings.”
He noted that the district had one secondary school in 1986 but now has 17 government secondary schools, several technical institutions, and over 114 government primary schools, alongside 256 private schools.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Nakaseke, Hajjat Saida Bbumba, appealed to President Museveni to resolve land challenges hindering development.
The rally was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee members, Ministers, Members of Parliament, former national leaders, party flag bearers, and district officials.