President Kaguta Museveni has unveiled a new ‘individualized water plan’ aimed at helping farmers and small-scale producers in Karamoja access water for production, saying the initiative will drive self-sufficiency and transform rural livelihoods.
Speaking during a campaign rally at Kalas Girls Primary School in Amudat District, Museveni said the government was shifting from communal water systems to household-level water facilities to enhance productivity among what he called ‘wealth creators.’
‘We are working out a plan for water in rural areas. Apart from the valley dams, people need water at each home,’ Museveni said on Tuesday.
‘Communal water systems will not solve the problem. In Ankole, we moved to individualized dams, and that’s how farmers sustained production without losing animals to disease.’
Only 18 percent of Amudat’s 415 villages currently have access to safe water, government data shows.
Recent projects such as the Kosike and Kaechom valley dams, holding 2.7 and 1.8 billion litres respectively, have boosted local capacity, while ongoing works include solar-powered irrigation systems and the Lowoyakur Dam shared with Nakapiripirit.
Museveni said the plan is part of his major wealth creation strategy under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which ‘prioritizes production, infrastructure, and peace in the 2026-2031 manifesto.’
‘Peace is the foundation of all progress,’ he told the crowd, adding: ‘If you want to see miracles in Africa, come to Karamoja and see what we have achieved.’
Peace and disarmament
The President credited Karamoja’s stability to the successful disarmament of warriors two decades ago, a move he described as ‘non-negotiable’ for lasting peace.
‘Some argued that Karamojong and Turkana should both keep guns to balance terror. But why have a government if people must protect themselves?’ he said.
He added: ‘I told them to hand in their guns – I will protect them against the Pokot, Turkana, and others.’
Museveni said he had raised recent cross-border killings with Kenya’s President William Ruto, demanding compensation for victims’ families.
‘I told President Ruto that if those criminals have no money, the Kenyan government must pay. We shall hold a joint ceremony here to cleanse the blood and honor the dead,’ the b2-year-old Ugandan leader said.
‘Roads, schools and hospitals’
Museveni vowed to ensure that all major roads in Karamoja remain passable throughout the year.
‘I have warned the ministries – I don’t want to hear of a major road that is impassable,’ he said.
Over 180 kilometers of tarmac have been laid in the sub-region, including the Nadunget-Iriiri and Moroto-Lokitanyala routes. Plans are underway to tarmac the Nakapiripirit-Amudat road, a key trade artery.
On education, Museveni reaffirmed the government’s commitment to universal access, targeting one primary school per parish and one secondary school per sub-county.
He pledged to abolish school fees in public institutions, saying the practice undermines poor families.
‘When we introduced UPE in 1996, education was meant to be free. But some managers started bringing back money,’ he said.
In health, Museveni announced upgrades to Amudat’s only Health Centre IV and the construction of new facilities in underserved sub-counties.
Wealth creation and empowerment
The President urged residents to embrace the Parish Development Model (PDM), highlighting success stories of farmers who used small government grants to build thriving livestock and fruit enterprises.
‘We shall support cooperatives with vehicles to access Kampala markets,’ Museveni said.
Amudat has received Shs13.49 billion under PDM, with 97 percent disbursed to over 12,000 households.
First Lady Janet Museveni, also Minister of Education, called on Karamoja to deliver a ‘100 percent NRM vote’ to consolidate peace and development.
‘The NRM government has worked to make Karamoja peaceful and productive,’ she said.
Amudat, which gave Museveni 97.6 percent of the vote in 2021, has seen its voter roll grow from 43,000 to 58,000 ahead of the 2026 polls.
Uganda will hold its General Election on January 15, 2025 to vote a new president and parliamentarians.