GULU. Thousands of jubilant supporters thronged Kaunda Grounds in Gulu City today to welcome President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer, as he addressed the people of Gulu and the wider Acholi sub-region.
With the air buzzing with excitement and banners waving in support of NRM, President Museveni opened his address with a heartfelt greeting.
Reflecting on Uganda’s past, President Museveni highlighted the critical role of peace in achieving regional progress.
“Uganda was at war for a long time but now NRM has been able to achieve peace, supported by you. It was not accidental that we achieved this peace; it’s because of the unity of politics and building strong national institutions like the army,” he said.
On development, the President emphasized the government’s commitment to both economic and social infrastructure.
“As NRM, we have worked on development; the economic infrastructure at least road—you know the road from Kampala to Gulu, which we have done several times, the road from Karuma to West Nile, the road from Olwiyo all the way to Kitgum and beyond, and Gulu to Nimule. We are also going to work on the roads connecting Awere-Corner Kilak to Patongo.”
He added that investments in electricity, telephones, piped water, and railways are all part of the broader economic infrastructure, while social infrastructure includes schools and health facilities.
The President stressed the importance of modern approaches to wealth creation.
“Our people work a lot but in the traditional way and they get little because they do things which are outdated. We must get out of poverty by listening to our programs of utilizing small land and differentiating between development and wealth.”.
He outlined government programs designed to lift people out of poverty:
“In the next government, since you are supporting NRM, we are going to ensure that this program of wealth creation continues. All the money we have been spending like NAADS, OWC, Entandikwa , was to help you get out of poverty. We are going to continue those programs.”
On practical initiatives, the President highlighted agriculture, fish farming, and livestock restocking.
“In the coming government, we are going to emphasize fish farming at the edge of the swamps, instead of putting it in the center. That water can be used for irrigation,” he said.
“Now, as part of wealth creation, the areas of Teso, Lango and Acholi had cows, but they were destroyed by wars and cattle rustling. When peace returned, we tried to restock, and we directed that each homestead receives five cows.
Some had rejected the idea, but I am glad that it has been agreed on, and we are taking that position, so that compensation of the five cows per household has been agreed on.”
President Museveni also addressed the issue of employment, cautioning against the misconception that jobs are only government positions.
“When people talk about jobs, jobs come from wealth. If we don’t create wealth, you can’t create jobs. Some people only think about government jobs. This is misleading. Government jobs are very few altogether, about 480,000. But these factory jobs alone are now employing 1.3 million people, almost three times the number working for the government.
He also referenced regional integration as key to sustaining industries.
“As we speak today, Uganda produces more than 5 million tonnes of maize per year, yet within a year, Uganda consumes only 1 million tonnes, leaving a surplus of 4 million tonnes. If we did not have the East African market, the maize industry would collapse.
The same applies to milk, bananas, beer, cement, and many other products. This is why NRM emphasizes regional integration for economic purposes,” he noted.
The Gulu City NRM Chairperson, Gifter Aber, welcomed the President and praised NRM’s record in the region.
“We appreciate Your Excellency for giving us women opportunities to contest and empower women. Thank you for accepting the free education policy in the region. We thank you for supporting party structures from the village to district levels, and for your peaceful leadership in the region,” she said.
Ms. Aber emphasized that these achievements have directly impacted Gulu’s social and economic landscape.
“The city now boasts of the University of Gulu, a milestone for higher education access in northern Uganda, alongside the Gulu Cancer Institute, ensuring patients no longer need to travel to Kampala for specialized care.”
She also highlighted the Presidential Skilling Hub, a resource for vocational training that equips young people with practical skills to enter the workforce.
“The modern market constructed for our people in Gulu City has transformed local trade, while the expansion of health centers and government schools ensures that our citizens receive essential services,” Aber noted.
Her remarks were supported by figures showing significant progress in various development programs.
The Parish Development Model (PDM) has made a notable impact, with Gulu District receiving Shs 14.4bn, disbursed to 14,143 households, while Gulu City received Shs 9.8bn, benefiting 9,792 households.
In addition, all three constituencies of Gulu District and City have a total of 54 Emyooga SACCOs, supporting 41,576 members, with the government disbursing Shs 2.1bn to facilitate community savings and business ventures.
Education has seen remarkable improvements. Gulu District has 47 government primary schools and 5 government secondary schools, while Gulu City has 41 government primary schools and 7 government secondary schools, all providing Universal Secondary Education and post-ordinary level training.
Healthcare infrastructure has also expanded, with Gulu Regional Referral Hospital now equipped with an ICU, CT scan, X-ray and ultrasound services, two functional oxygen plants, and ambulances, while district health centers continue to be upgraded to provide better services for local communities.
Ms. Aber concluded by highlighting access to clean water and irrigation initiatives that support farmers; 87% of villages in Gulu District now have safe water, and multiple small-scale and solar-powered irrigation schemes are advancing climate-resilient agriculture.
Through these achievements, Ms. Aber emphasized, the NRM government has laid the foundation for continued peace, development, and wealth creation in Gulu and the broader Acholi sub-region.
The campaign is running under the theme: “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status”.
The event was graced by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, as well as thousands of supporters.