President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential flag bearer, has kicked off his 2026–2031 campaign trail in Teso sub-region with a new promise to restore household wealth through a “democratic cattle restocking” programme.
Addressing thousands of supporters at St. Francis Secondary School in Acumet, Kapelebyong District, Museveni announced that government will soon roll out a livestock restocking plan targeting households across Teso, Lango, and Acholi regions that suffered heavily from past insurgencies and cattle rustling.
“I recently met your leaders and asked why we don’t have a democratic formula for restocking. I proposed that each homestead should receive five cows,” Museveni said to loud applause, adding that government had already been instructed to plan for implementation. He explained that the initiative is designed to fairly rebuild wealth in the cattle corridor, unlike previous interventions that benefited a few individuals. “This will be a fair and transparent way to ensure every family benefits from Uganda’s progress,” he said.
The proposal forms part of the NRM’s 2026–2031 manifesto, which focuses on empowering rural communities through agricultural productivity and wealth creation. Museveni said the restocking effort will complement ongoing initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga programmes that are already uplifting small-scale entrepreneurs.
Turning to infrastructure, the President decried corruption and inefficiency in local governments, especially in road maintenance. “Each district gets Shs 1.3 billion every year for road maintenance, but investigations show some roads are not maintained or are done carelessly without drainage. I am going to deal with them,” he warned, directing the Ministries of Works and Local Government to ensure better supervision and accountability.
Museveni also highlighted progress in education, health, and infrastructure under the NRM government, noting that Kapelebyong alone now boasts 10 secondary schools compared to none in the past. He cited major road projects connecting Soroti, Moroto, Mbale, and Lira, and promised new links to Amuria, Obalanga, and Otuke. Reflecting on the region’s past insecurity, he said peace restored since 2007 had created the foundation for development. “We defeated the rebels and disarmed cattle rustlers. That is why we can now talk about wealth creation,” he said.
Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, the President reaffirmed the NRM’s commitment to free and quality education. Maama Janet told the crowd that the next government plan is to completely eliminate school fees in UPE and USE schools. “In the coming Kisanja, all teachers will be paid by government and parents will not have to pay any fees,” she said, urging continued support for the NRM.
Under the PDM, Kapelebyong has so far received Shs 17 billion supporting over 17,000 households, while Emyooga SACCOs have benefited from Shs 920 million. Government has also paid Shs 3.9 billion in compensation to families affected by past raids, alongside new investments in water supply, education, and health facilities.
Museveni ended by thanking the people of Teso for their steadfast support, saying the NRM remains committed to inclusive development. “NRM is Uganda’s party building Uganda and ensuring that all our children live better lives than we did,” he concluded.
