By Emmanuel Okol
Mbale, Uganda: President Museveni has cautioned independent-leaning NRM candidates in Bukedi and across the country against destabilising the party ahead of the 2026 General Elections, warning that their actions risk splitting support at the grassroots and giving opponents an unnecessary advantage.
Speaking during a media engagement with journalists from the Bukedi sub-region at Mbale State Lodge on Friday evening, Mr Museveni described the behaviour of independent-leaning NRM candidates as a product of “selfishness and ideological looseness” that threatens party cohesion.
“Independent NRM candidates can cause mess and divide the party support at the grassroots. They need to reconsider their decision,” the President advised.
Free Coffee, Cash Crop Seedlings for Farmers
Museveni also revealed that he has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to begin breeding coffee and other cash crop seedlings for free distribution across the country. He said the directive is meant to counter the excessive prices charged by private nursery operators, which have hindered farmers from expanding commercial agriculture.
The President urged farmers in Bukedi to embrace government-led intensive farming models and to adopt proper enterprise selection to maximise earnings from the prevailing agriculture value chains.
Museveni emphasised the importance of proper land management, including the protection of wetlands for future irrigation. He confirmed the establishment of fish feed factories in Jinja and Bukalasa, which he said will boost the aquaculture sector and support commercial fish farming in the region.
Africa at Risk Due to Political Disintegration—Museveni
The President also delivered a strong warning on Africa’s vulnerability in the face of global power competition, saying political disintegration has left the continent lagging behind in developing modern security and technological capabilities.
“Africa’s disintegration has failed the continent to advance technologically in security interventions needed to confront emerging threats,” Museveni told journalists, questioning whether African intellectuals and young people are doing enough to safeguard the continent’s future.
He urged African youth to prioritise survival as a race and push for unity in pursuit of a stronger, consolidated regional market.
The President highlighted the NRM government’s commitment to directly financing wealth creation initiatives, saying no previous government had attempted such large-scale empowerment programmes.
He pointed to the impact of Emyooga, PDM, Youth Livelihood Programme, Women Empowerment Initiatives and others, which he said are already bearing visible results in uplifting households and communities across the country.
“These interventions are revolutionary. They have enabled job creation and empowered individuals and families,” the President said.
Museveni further noted that the NRM Government has intentionally tackled key bottlenecks to national development, ranging from infrastructure to energy, water access, education and industrialisation.
He called for convergence in planning and budgeting, saying fragmented approaches delay the rollout of essential infrastructure such as roads, schools, water systems, electricity lines and hospitals.
The President listed several achievements made by the NRM government in the Bukedi sub-region, especially in regard to tarmacked roads, and assured residents that more development projects are underway — but stressed that unity and discipline within the party are essential for peace and progress to thrive.
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