The National Resistance Movement (NRM) yesterday launched its 2026-2031 manifesto, presenting five key priority areas that it says will shape Uganda’s development over the next five years, should it secure another term in office. The new blueprint under the theme ‘Protecting The Gains’ shows both continuity and shifts from the party’s previous manifesto for 2021-2026, which was themed ‘Securing Your Future’ and built around five broad pillars including wealth and job creation, social services, justice and equity, security, and economic and political integration. The 2026-2031 manifesto maintains an emphasis on employment, but shifts the focus toward industrialisation as a key engine of economic growth.
Speaking at the launch of the manifesto in Kampala, the NRM secretary general, Mr Richard Todwong, said they plan to increase Parish Development Model allocations to Shs300 million for Kampala and metropolitan areas, and provide additional support for households headed by PDM beneficiaries, signalling continuity with previous commitments while scaling up urban impact. Agriculture remains central in the new manifesto, but its role has shifted from rural poverty alleviation to serving as a foundation for industrial growth.
Similarly, infrastructure, which was highlighted in the 2021-2026 manifesto as a tool to overcome gaps in electricity, transport, and water access, is now elevated to a standalone priority area. The oil and gas sector, which was a minor component in the previous manifesto, now emerges as a major focus, signalling Uganda’s intent to leverage petroleum development as a driver of jobs, industrialisation, and national revenue. Education and health remain in focus, but their prominence has decreased compared to the previous term. Below and on page 5 are the key priorities in 2026-2032 manifesto.
Human capital development
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) considers investment in human capital as central to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation. Recognising that development cannot occur without a healthy, educated, and skilled population, the party has prioritised education, healthcare, and access to clean water. Building on previous investments in immunisation and universal education, the manifesto emphasises reforms to make institutions of learning produce more job creators rather than job seekers. The NRM also pledges to train more professionals such as doctors, engineers, nurses, and science teachers, while harnessing the talents of young Ugandans in sports, music, and the arts by investing in supportive infrastructure and programmes. The party indicated that it will maintain free Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) and expand access to post-secondary and vocational training.
The party pledges to recruit more teachers, improve teacher-to-pupil ratios, rehabilitate schools, construct new seed secondary schools, expand infrastructure in public universities, and operationalise Bunyoro and Busoga universities. Investments will also target instructional materials, staff housing, teacher salaries, and the alignment of curricula to market demands, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and vocational education. In healthcare, efforts will continue to digitise healthcare through e-Health systems, improve diagnostic capacity with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital X-ray machines, expand reproductive and maternal health services, and enhance mental health care and disease prevention programmes, including immunisation and malaria eradication initiatives.
Growing the economy and creating wealth.
NRM has outlined a comprehensive strategy to grow Uganda’s economy over the next five years, aiming to fully monetise the economy, double its size, and ensure that every adult Ugandan actively participates in producing goods or services. Central to this plan is the commercialisation of agriculture, which the party says will target the remaining 33 percent of households still engaged in subsistence farming. They intend to provide affordable and patient capital, guide citizens in selecting profitable enterprises, and invest in the entire agricultural value chain, from research to markets.
Post-harvest management will be strengthened through community grain stores, milk coolers, maize and rice milling equipment, and farmer training, while extension services, cold chain facilities, and export compliance support will ensure higher quality and value addition for agricultural products. Value addition is a key focus, particularly for commodities like coffee, cotton, tea, and minerals, which have historically been exported raw, leading to the loss of billions in potential revenue, jobs, and foreign exchange. The NRM pledges to expand local processing facilities for coffee, fruits, cassava, sugar, and tea to retain more economic value within the country, boost household incomes, and create sustainable employment opportunities.
The manifesto also prioritises investment in manufacturing as a driver of economic growth, emphasising local production of goods previously imported, including soap, sugar, cement, steel, paper, dairy, and processed foods. Manufacturing contributes significantly to GDP and exports, and the government aims to continue expanding this sector to reduce import dependence and create jobs. Tourism will be leveraged as a growth engine, with efforts to increase visitor numbers, length of stay, and spending. Investment in science, technology, and innovation, alongside ICT, is also highlighted to support high-value industries and build a knowledge-based economy.
Infrastructure development
The party has also identified infrastructure as a cornerstone of Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, emphasising that development cannot occur without reliable roads, electricity, water, railway, and ICT. Over the past decades, the party indicated that it has prioritised connecting the country, improving energy access, and modernising transport and communication systems. Between 1986 and 2024, Uganda’s tarmac road network expanded from 1,000 km to 6,306 km, with an additional 1,135 km under construction. Investments have included city roads, traffic signal systems, and feeder roads under the District, Urban, and Community Access Roads (DUCAR) programme, representing 87 percent of Uganda’s road network. The NRM has also distributed modern road construction equipment to districts and allocated funds to ensure routine maintenance, although corruption remains a challenge the government pledges to address.
Rail transport is being strengthened through rehabilitation of the metre gauge railway from Malaba to Kampala and Tororo to Gulu, as well as the construction of a new standard gauge railway to reduce freight costs and transit time, improving regional connectivity. Water transport investments include modernisation of Port Bell, Jinja Pier, Bukasa Port construction, and ferry upgrades, while air transport development involves Uganda Airlines expansion, construction of new airports in Hoima and Kidepo, and upgrading domestic aerodromes. In energy, Uganda now generates more than 2,052 MWs, with new dams and private-sector plants enhancing electricity access nationwide. Transmission networks have been expanded, connecting all districts except Buvuma and Obongi.
To meet rising urbanisation, NRM promises affordable housing through land development, private-sector collaboration, and capital support via Housing Finance Bank and the National Housing and Construction Corporation. By continuing to expand transport, energy, ICT, and housing infrastructure, NRM aims to create an enabling environment for wealth creation, economic growth, and improved quality of life across Uganda. The government pledges to modernise both social and economic infrastructure across the country, ranging from roads and electricity to schools, hospitals, and internet connectivity. By reducing the costs of doing business through improved infrastructure, the party believes wealth creators will enjoy better profits and reinvest more in the economy.damal]
Democracy, good governance, and security.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has maintained that democracy, good governance, and security are pillars for Uganda’s sustainable development. In advancing democracy, the party commits to conducting regular, free, and fair elections while promoting inclusivity. Women, youth, people with disabilities, workers, and the elderly will continue to have opportunities to participate in policy formulation and decision-making at all levels of government through affirmative action.
NRM will also leverage digital technologies to enhance the transparency and efficiency of electoral processes while strengthening the capacity of the National Electoral Commission to conduct civic education, monitor elections, and resolve disputes promptly. Inter-party dialogue will also be promoted through continued support for the Inter Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), fostering collaboration and political stability.
Decentralisation remains a core strategy for citizen empowerment and the pledged to induct new elected leaders on their oversight responsibilities, fill critical vacancies in local governments, and facilitate barazas to encourage dialogue between citizens and local authorities. Corruption is a major challenge, and NRM promises to strengthen investigative institutions, including the Inspectorate of Government, Office of the Auditor General, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, and other anti-corruption agencies.
Measures include digitisation of government services, whistleblower protection, monitoring of local leaders and capacity building for the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court. In security, NRM will continue to maintain well-trained, community-focused forces. Investments in the welfare of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, police, and prisons personnel will be prioritised, alongside improved forensic capabilities and civilian engagement to protect lives and property, ensuring a safe and stable environment for socio-economic growth.
Regional integration and political federation.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) underscores Pan-Africanism as a core principle, emphasising the importance of regional integration for Uganda’s prosperity and the continent’s development. Africa’s population of 1.4 billion is dispersed across numerous small states, limiting internal markets and constraining economic growth. Low incomes and limited regional connectivity further hinder trade and market expansion. NRM notes that strategic infrastructure projects, such as the Mpondwe-Beni highway linking Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are critical in easing cross-border trade and improving regional connectivity.
By facilitating the free movement of goods, services, and investments across Africa, the party aims to ensure Ugandan producers have access to broader markets, reducing reliance on external economies and increasing domestic prosperity. To achieve this, NRM promises to actively support the implementation of the East African Community (EAC) Political Federation, including the promulgation of the EAC Constitution. The party will work with EAC member states to remove non-tariff barriers, promote Kiswahili as a unifying language, and leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to boost intra-African trade. President Museveni who launched the manifesto yesterday evening explained how they plan to achieve all the above, but put more emphasis on putting more money in the economy and alleviating people from poverty.
Speaking at the launch, the NRM First Vice Chairperson, Mr Moses Kigongo, asked the party leaders and cadres to desist from fighting each other and work together towards the same goal. ‘Fighting must stop. We must move as a team and ensure that we campaign as one person. This time, it is going to be very smooth for us because we are going to use our structures at the grassroots. We are very firm on the ground,’ Mr Kigongo said. The Second National Vice Chairperson, Female, and the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, indicated after the launch that they are slated to move from door to door to hunt for votes for their boss.