Category: Daily Monitor

A veteran Kampala gynecologist and former Busoga Kingdom health minister, Dr Ignatius James Batwala, died late Wednesday night after collapsing in the garage of his Ntinda home, hours after returning from a burial in eastern Uganda, his family told Monitor on Thursday.

Dr Batwala, 89, had travelled earlier in the day to Muguluka Village in Iganga District to attend the burial of a family friend and returned to Kampala in the evening, according to relatives.

Arnold Lwabi, a nephew who was called in to assist with first aid, said the doctor complained of feeling unwell shortly after arriving home on Semawatta Road in Ntinda.

‘When they reached home, family members got out of the vehicle, but he said he was not feeling well and asked to rest in the car for a while,’ Lwabi said.

After resting briefly, Dr Batwala attempted to step out of the vehicle but collapsed onto the garage door, prompting family members to raise alarm and call for an ambulance.

‘They tried to offer first aid as they waited for the ambulance. He was rushed to Mulago hospital, but by the time they arrived, he had already passed on,’ Lwabi said.

The incident occurred just minutes before the New Year, with Lwabi saying events unfolded between 10:30pm and 12:15am.

‘He travelled for burial in Muguluka in Iganga district. He even spoke at the burial,’ he said, adding: ‘The daughters say even when he was driving back, there were patients calling him for appointments and he fixed dates for them.’

Friends and relatives said Dr Batwala appeared well throughout the day.

Frederick Kibedi, who attended the same burial, said he sat next to the doctor during the ceremony and noticed nothing unusual.

‘He didn’t look sick,’ Kibedi said, noting that: ‘At around 11:40pm, the daughters called me and said the pressure had risen and that their father had died.’

Dr Batwala was a long-serving gynecology consultant at Mulago National Referral Hospital and later operated a private practice, Fiona Clinic, initially on Kampala Road before relocating it to his Ntinda residence.

He had celebrated his 89th birthday in November, according to family members.

By Thursday morning, mourners had begun gathering at the family home in Ntinda as burial arrangements were underway.

Dr Batwala also previously served as minister of health in the Busoga Kingdom and was widely regarded as one of Kampala’s most experienced gynecologists, with decades of service in both public and private practice.

The family had not announced funeral arrangements by press time.

President Museveni has called on Uganda’s religious groups, particularly born-again leaders, to embrace the freedoms his NRM government has restored and to guide congregations in addressing poverty.

Delivering his New Year’s messages across Pentecostal and other churches, Museveni reminded worshippers that before his government, many believers prayed in secrecy.

‘There was a time when people could not freely pray. Many believers were forced into hiding, and particularly born-again Christians were not accepted to worship openly,’ Museveni said through Peace Mutuuzo, the state minister for gender, at Pastor Joseph Serwadda’s Passover celebrations at Doxa Grounds in Lubowa.

He stressed that today, ‘every Ugandan is free to worship without fear, and no one will be allowed to disturb the peace we currently enjoy,’ urging churches to remain pillars of national cohesion.

‘The Church must remain a pillar in resolving conflicts, promoting unity and peace, and conserving our environment,’ Museveni said.

He also encouraged religious institutions to help families improve household incomes and livelihoods.

‘Promoting wealth creation through faith’

At Pastor David Isanga’s overnight celebrations in Kilama, Kaliro District, Museveni commended the Universal Apostles Fellowship Church of Righteousness for emphasizing wealth and job creation in ministry.

‘I thank you for encouraging believers to work hard and embrace government programs aimed at eradicating poverty,’ he said, delivered by Haji Faruk Kirunda, Special Presidential Assistant on Press and Mobilization, during the church’s End-of-Year Glorification and Thanksgiving Convention.

Museveni noted the importance of balancing spiritual and physical needs saying: ‘The spiritual needs are satisfied through prayer, scripture study, moral instruction, fasting, praise, and worship. However, there are also physical needs that must be satisfied-food, water, shelter, medicine, schools, transport, and jobs.’

He urged religious leaders to guide their congregations toward practical action for improved standards of living, warning that neglecting earthly responsibilities can entrench socio-economic backwardness.

Faith and celebration across denominations

At Munyonyo Catholic Shrine gardens, worshippers celebrated with candles, music, and prayer. Fr. Martin Ssemanda of Munyonyo Catholic Basilica called on Christians to commit their New Year resolutions to God, particularly in light of the January 15 elections.

‘May this new year bring anything that was ordained for you. The Lord has never left us alone; he will help us through, especially as we look forward to voting for our leaders,’ Fr. Ssemanda said.

Prophet David also thanked Museveni for government programs like the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, which he said have supported Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.

Across the country, churches are entering 2026 with a dual focus on spiritual renewal and practical guidance for community development amid calls for a peaceful General Election.

Uganda’s opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, on Wednesday challenged President Museveni to sack the head of the Electoral Commission (EC) if he genuinely believes the 2021 General Election was manipulated against him.

Bobi Wine, the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, said both he and Museveni have accused the Justice Simon Byabakama-led commission of presiding over electoral malpractice, raising questions about the commission’s credibility ahead of the January 15 polls.

‘We are all complaining that our votes were stolen during the 2021 General Election. Our candidates are currently being unfairly nominated by Justice Byabakama. Gen Museveni also complained that 2.7 million of his votes were rigged under the watch of the same commission. Let him sack Byabakama if he is genuine in what he says,’ Bobi Wine told supporters at a rally at Kitoffaali Trading Centre in Kyannamukaaka Town Council, Masaka District.

Museveni, Uganda’s incumbent president and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, has since 2021 alleged that opposition supporters manipulated results in their stronghold Buganda region during the last election.

In September 2024, Museveni accused NUP of stealing up to one million of his votes in Buganda.

He repeated the claim on December 15, 2025, while addressing a rally at Kasambya Diocese playground in Mubende District, this time saying 2.7 million votes were rigged through ballot stuffing or multiple voting.

The 2021 election was won by Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, but was unsuccessfully challenged in court by Bobi Wine, who has repeatedly claimed he was the ‘president-elect.’

Delivering his New Year 2026 address on Wednesday night, Museveni urged Ugandans to turn up in big numbers and vote, declaring ‘Uganda secure’, and the NRM party ‘unstoppable.’

Under the Ugandan Constitution, the president appoints Electoral Commission commissioners and is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Justice Byabakama was first appointed EC chairperson by Museveni in November 2016, replacing Eng Badru Kiggundu. He was reappointed last year for another seven-year term that allows him to oversee the January 15 elections.

Meanwhile, still at the Masaka rally, Bobi Wine also faulted the commission for nominating Jamil Kivumbi as NUP flag bearer for the Bukoto Central parliamentary race, despite the party endorsing Alex Kalinzi Ntamu.

‘NUP is a fully registered political party and we reserve the right to endorse candidates, not EC. We wrote to them to rectify this, but they are still adamant,’ he said.

Bobi Wine further pledged to return land to displaced rightful owners and urged residents to keep proof of ownership.

Masaka District Woman MP Joan Namutaawe told the rally that lack of electricity in nearby villages was stifling development.

‘Mr President, we are a few kilometers away from Masaka City, but some villages here still lack electricity. Which gains can these protect?’ she asked.

Masaka sub-region remains a stronghold of the opposition. In the 2021 presidential election, Museveni garnered 14,992 votes in Masaka City against Bobi Wine’s 53,444, according to EC figures. In Masaka District, Bobi Wine polled 23,132 votes compared with Museveni’s 11,317.

Political observers attribute NRM’s poor performance in the region to unfulfilled industrial pledges, land evictions, enforced disappearances of opposition supporters and rising corruption.

Museveni, seeking to extend his rule to 45 years, has won every election since 1996. Uganda’s Supreme Court has previously acknowledged widespread electoral irregularities but upheld results, ruling they did not substantially affect outcomes.

Assistant Kampala Anglican Bishop Jackson Frederick Baalwa, has urged security agencies to exercise restraint during the ongoing electoral campaigns, cautioning against heavy-handed actions against candidates.

Speaking at a New Year’s service at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero, Bishop Baalwa highlighted the importance of peaceful elections and the right of all Ugandans to participate in multiparty politics saying.

‘There is no need to use a gun to kill a mosquito in an era where multiparty politics is allowed,’ he said, in reference to recent clashes between security forces and some candidates, particularly from the National Unity Platform (NUP), over alleged violations of campaign regulations.

Bishop Baalwa also encouraged citizens to vote for leaders committed to the development of Uganda.

‘Please go and vote, and vote for the people who matter and are ready to serve mankind,’ he said, speaking barely two weeks to Uganda’s January 15 General Election.

Former Ethics and Integrity Minister, Ms Miria Matembe, praised the bishop’s remarks as timely, noting the need for leaders of integrity.

‘The Bishop told people to exercise their duty by voting for leaders of character and integrity. Leaders who can render a service that gives God glory, not those who are materialistic and hungry for money,’ she said.

Ms Matembe also raised concerns about the quality of candidates in Kashari County Constituency, Mbarara, alleging that one contender had submitted forged academic documents, undermining the constituency’s legacy of strong leadership.

She further commented on the recent arrest of human rights advocate Ms Sarah Bireete, stressing that it should not deter activists from speaking out against abuse of human rights and rule of law.

‘I have received many calls from people telling me to shut up and stop criticizing the government, saying I will be the next culprit to be arrested. I want to assure them that I will not stop talking,’ she said. ‘We have freedom of speech, and I pray to God to shut their mouth and tie their hands.’

The New Year service drew hundreds of Christians, including First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga as well as State Minister for Disability Affairs, Ms Hellen Asamo.

The police in Wamala region are holding one suspect accused of placing unauthorised road sign inscriptions on some sections of the Kampala- Kiboga-Hoima highway in total contradiction of the known official procedures.

Wamala regional police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi said the unauthorised road sign inscriptions written in big letters, read: ‘Protest Vote.’ He said these reflect individual political opinions and affiliations, but also go against the mandate of any individual to do the work only authorised by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

In a statement last weekend,Mr Kigozi said the Kiboga District Police Commander, with the support of sister security agencies, conducted an intelligence- led operation in Kiyinja Village, Kyekumbya Sub-county, and in Lwamata Town Council in Kiboga District last Saturday which led to the arrest of the suspect believed to be behind the illegal inscriptions on the highway. ‘The search made in his two homes in Kiyinja Village and Lwamata Town Council led to recovery of some exhibits of evidential value.

The suspect admits to being part of a group that wrongfully inscribed a public road and efforts are being made to apprehend all the accomplices in this act,’ he said. Mr Kigozi said the arrested suspect and others still at large, believed to be agents of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, riding on a numberless motorcycle placed the road sign inscriptions at sections of the Kampala- Kiboga-Hoima highway at around 9.20pm last Friday, before speeding off to yet unknown location.

‘Whereas it is the duty of the Ministry of Works and Transport to inscribe our roads for whichever reason based on the ministry’s statutory duties, it’s an act of sabotage for a layman to inscribe a public road with wordings reflecting personal or political affiliation or inciting the public,’ he said. ‘I hereby caution the public in the region to desist from such acts of sabotage driven by their respective political ambitions.

Anybody caught in such actions will be arrested and prosecuted,’ Mr Kigozi said. The clearly read wordings that attract attention of the road users placed at sections of the highway in Lwamata Town Council, Mr Kigozi said, raise suspicion about the intentions of the suspects and why they rode on a numberless motorcycle and quickly disappeared.

‘They possibly knew that they were acting outside the law. But the police are hunting for them,’ he said.

Mr Emmanuel Gizamba Masaba, a road safety expert, told this publication that road signs attract the attention of the road users and must be authorised by the relevant government departments.

By press time yesterday, the suspect was still in police custody and his accomplices still at large.

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Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, on January 1 laid out an ambitious transition blueprint for a post-Museveni era and strongly rebutted claims by President Museveni that his campaign crowds are staged, as tensions rise less than two weeks before the January 15 general election.

On Thursday, Bobi Wine, 43, delivered a defiant New Year address in Kampala hours after Museveni’s televised end-of-year speech on December 31, in which the 81-year-old incumbent devoted a significant portion of his remarks to attacking his apparent main challenger.

Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, accused Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) of being backed by ‘evil parasitic foreigners’ and of ferrying supporters in ‘possibly 200 vehicles’ to create what he described as nomadic and disruptive rally crowds.

‘In the new Uganda, change will not just be about faces, but national systems and priorities as well,’ Bobi Wine said, framing the next election as a decisive moment for the country’s political future and insisting that change would be institutional, constitutional and peaceful.

‘You should expect an end to human rights violations and a return to constitutionalism in its purest form,’ Bobi Wine emphasized.

He pledged professional and independent security forces, zero tolerance to corruption, free quality public education, jobs and fair pay, and social protection for citizens unable to work.

‘We invite Ugandans to hold us accountable to those standards,’ he said.

Central to the address was what Bobi Wine described as a structured transition mechanism ‘already underway, led by a technical team tasked with drafting a blueprint for a new government.’

‘This team is reviewing laws, institutions, civil service delivery and consulting ordinary citizens to ensure that from day one, a new Uganda is governed in an orderly and constitutional manner,’ he said.

According to Bobi Wine, political and technical teams would merge immediately after the election to refine the transition roadmap and prepare systems and personnel to ‘receive instruments of authority in May 2026.’

‘During the transition period, we shall ensure the safety of every citizen regardless of who they supported in the past,’ Bobi Wine said, promising a broad-based, merit-driven government.

Bobi Wine also urged unity across political, religious and business divides, saying ‘Uganda needed a peaceful transfer of power and a new social contract grounded in justice and fairness.’

‘Museveni fed fake intelligence’

The opposition leader used his address to rebut claims made by Museveni a day earlier that the National Unity Platform ferries supporters in hundreds of vehicles to create artificial crowds.

‘I don’t look at Gen Museveni with anger. I look at him with pity,’ Bobi Wine said, adding: ‘By his age, he is being fed fake intelligence.’

‘Even where we’ve been allowed by security to pass, not more than five cars are allowed from my convoy. So, how would we ferry crowds?’ he asked a gathering of mostly journalists at the party headquarters in Kavule-Makerere.

Bobi Wine instead accused security forces of deliberately blocking supporters from attending his rallies to create the impression that he lacks popular backing.

‘They break up our gatherings with live bullets, teargas, water cannons and dogs so that no crowds follow us,’ Bobi Wine said.

By press time, the country’s security apparatus had yet to respond to Bobi Wine’s ‘fake intelligence’ remarks, which came after 5pm -outside regular working hours.

‘120 bullets, awakened generation’

The comments came against a backdrop of repeated security crackdowns on opposition events, with several NUP supporters shot dead during campaign rallies, according to opposition figures.

Museveni accused the opposition in his New Year address of indiscipline, anarchic conduct and foreign backing, claiming that those arrested during a November rally in Mbarara had confessed to mobilising crowds using ‘possibly 200 vehicles’.

In mid-December, he also warned opposition supporters against unlawful activity, noting that Uganda’s more than 35,000 soldiers each carry at least 120 bullets.

‘History doesn’t forgive silence. Let this New Year become a turning point in our country. We declare that Uganda will be free-not by bullets but by the unbreakable will of the citizens of Uganda,’ Bobi Wine remarked.

‘Today, the promise of our 1962 independence has been hijacked by a small group which rules us through fear, corruption and abuse of state power, and citizens treated like slaves on their own land. This is not stability but occupation by greed,’ he added.

However, Bobi Wine urged supporters to remain peaceful but alert.

‘An awakened generation can never be defeated. Remain peaceful and non-violent even when provoked. But don’t take comfort in ignorance.’

The January election is a rematch of the disputed 2021 polls, which Bobi Wine unsuccessfully challenged in court, alleging widespread irregularities and voter suppression in opposition strongholds.

Museveni has also said the 2021 outcome would have been far stronger for him had those areas not been rigged.

Calling the vote ‘a protest vote in its purest form’, Bobi Wine urged Ugandans to defend their ballots lawfully and document results.

‘If it happened to Marcos of the Philippines in 1986 and Yahya Jammeh of Gambia in 2016, it can happen in Uganda in 2026,’ he emphasized.

Bobi Wine is among seven opposition candidates seeking to end Museveni’s bid to extend his rule to near-half century through the 2026 ballot.

President Museveni has approved a proposal to establish a second industrial park in Uganda, following a briefing from developers at the China-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park. Mr Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni hosted a delegation led by Ms Lucy Zhang, the chief executive officer of Tian Tang Group, at their country home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District last Friday.

Ms Zhang on Tuesday told journalists in Kampala that she briefed the President on the latest developments at the Mbale facility and formally expressed her group’s intention to expand its footprint by establishing another industrial park at a new location.

‘The President welcomed the plan and assured us of government support to ensure the success of the expansion,’ she said. ‘Tonight, a team from the Mbale Industrial Park led by Ms Lucy Zhang called on Mama Janet and me at Rwakitura. They updated us on progress at the park and informed us of their intention to set up another industrial park. I welcome their plan and assure them of our support,’ President Museveni wrote on X (formerly Twitter) about the development last Friday. The existing 619-acre park in Mbale City, located in eastern Uganda, has been a cornerstone of the government’s industrialisation drive since it became operational in 2018.

About Mbale industrial park

The facility hosts approximately 75 factories and employs more than 12,000 Ugandans. Recent developments at the Mbale project include plans to launch four new factories specialising in steel, textiles, electronics, and paper production. The park has also seen major infrastructure investments, including a $2.5m (Shs8.99b), wastewater treatment system, as well as government initiatives to enhance power reliability and improve road networks to prevent flooding.

With a total investment of $2.5b (Shs8.99 trillion), the park’s factories produce goods such as glass, detergents, mobile phones, LED bulbs, and baby diapers, using raw materials sourced from both Uganda and China.

The park strives to implement the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) policy by maximising the use of locally-sourced Ugandan raw materials. Its products are sold in the Ugandan market and exported to neighbouring countries in cluding Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. At an inauguration ceremony held in late August, Museveni emphasised that the national industrialisation agenda relies on attracting investors who can create jobs.

‘As a nation, we must focus on sectors that generate wealth and employment for our people. This will also address the need for import substitution, especially for consumer and commercial goods,’ said Mr Museveni.

Key among the new factories are Uganda United Steel Investment Co Ltd and Xinlong Textile and Garment Technology Co Ltd. The President also laid foundation stones for nine other projects, including Hercules Automobile Manufacturing Co Ltd and Changjiang Industry.

President Museveni revealed that Chinese investors are seeking an additional 500 acres of land to expand the current park and urged local residents to cooperate with authorities to secure the land. The push to build more industrial hubs aligns with Mr Museveni’s vision of transforming Uganda from a trading economy into an industrialised nation. He pledged to develop similar parks in the Masaka, Kyotera, and Kalungu districts to promote value addition and youth employment.

As Ugandans welcome the New Year, political, religious, and cultural leaders have renewed calls for peace, unity, and respect for the rule of law ahead of the 2026 General Election, which starts this month.

The leaders called upon State actors and institutions involved in election management to exercise impartiality to ensure active and peaceful participation by citizens in choosing their leaders. Ugandans head to the polls on January 15 to elect a president, Members of Parliament (MPs), and local government leaders for a term of five years.

The Secretary General of the Inter-religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), Mr Joshua Kitakule, urged Ugandans to usher in the New Year with responsibility, peace, and discipline. He also urged motorists to drive carefully during the festive season and citizens to commit to peaceful elections. ‘As Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, we encourage people to turn up and vote peacefully, because leadership begins with participation and people should not stay away from the polls only to later complain about poor leaders elected to national responsibilities,’ he said. Mr Kitakule also condemned domestic violence, noting that as a God-fearing nation, Ugandans must reject abuses in homes, especially against women and children.

‘Families ought to manage anger, stress, and frustration without resorting to violence; hardship is never a justification for beating children or partners. We call upon the security agencies to also act professionally and protect citizens’ rights during the festive and election period,’ he added. Mr Kitakule asked the public to exercise restraint in what he described as a season of pressure, and urged Ugandans to celebrate responsibly and protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Similarly, the Bunyoro Kingdom premier Andrew Byakutaaga warned that intolerance threatens national unity and called on political contestants and supporters to exercise restraint and avoid chaos as the country heads to the polls that start this month.

‘We call upon all political actors and their supporters to refrain from violent or chaotic actions and to stop ill-talk against one another,’ he said. Mr Byakutaaga urged voters to make informed choices at the ballot and elect leaders based on ability and service rather than rhetoric.

‘Ugandans should vote for leaders who are able and willing to act and serve differently, not those who only know how to talk.’ In the same regard, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said 2026 brings renewed hope and responsibility as Ugandans prepare for the General Election. He called on Ugandans to embrace peace, tolerance, and unity, and to participate in the democratic processes with respect for one another. ‘Beyond the elections, we should maintain momentum in fighting poverty and developing ourselves, our families, and our communities,’ he said.

Mr Tayebwa added: ‘As Parliament, we will continue to support policies that create jobs, grow our economy, and improve the well-being of our people. Let us work together with discipline and purpose to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Uganda.’

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, Mr David Lewis Rubongoya called on security agencies and other State institutions to work towards ensuring that the elections are violence- free and fair. Mr Rubongoya said in 2025, several NUP supporters were arrested, violated, and detained on politically motivated charges.

‘We call for peace to prevail in 2026. This previous year, we lost many Ugandans in unknown circumstances, and the perpetrators have not been brought to book,’ the NUP secretary general said. He added:’Security forces should stop mistreating Ugandans; we want a country where a person can freely express rights without being sabotaged in favour of the ruling government.’

Conservative Party presidential candidate Elton Joseph Mabirizi, described 2026 as a moment of national reflection on whether the country is progressing or merely drifting along.

‘Uganda enters this year at a defining crossroads – behind us lie decades of unfulfilled constitutional promises, excessive centralisation of power, and weakened institutions,” he said. Mr Mabirizi urged all government institutions, including the electoral body, to fulfil their mandate.

He said: ‘The Electoral Commission (EC) should demonstrate independence in both word and action. Security agencies should remain strictly non-partisan in politics, and the media should serve the public interest without fear, and the Judiciary should uphold the supremacy of the Constitution, regardless of pressure.”

Mr Robert Kasibante, the presidential candidate for the National Peasants Party (NPP), described 2026 as a defining moment for Uganda as they choose their leaders again through the ballot. He urged Ugandans to turn up in good numbers to vote and to decide the destiny of their country.

‘I call upon every Ugandan of voting age to rise early, turn up in big numbers, and vote peacefully. Let no one surrender their voice through fear, apathy, or misinformation. Your vote is your power and all voters ought to remain at the polling stations to witness the integrity of their vote,” Mr Kasibante said.

Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, urged Ugandans to vote for change. He called on the EC and the security agencies to protect the citizens and their property and to ensure a fair, free, and peaceful election. ”We believe this election is going to be a determining factor for us as we are going to change the government without using the bullet,” he said.

Mr Mafabi added: ‘This will be the first time in Uganda that we are changing government from one president to another using our ballot paper.” Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu, the presidential candidate of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), called for peaceful, free, and fair elections in the New Year. He appealed to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Uganda Police Force, and other organs to respect human rights in their line of duty and not brutalise Ugandans as has been witnessed.

‘I pray that we can have peaceful, free, and fair elections despite those who don’t care about the future of Uganda. As we head to the Election Day, Ugandans must choose leaders who are capable of transforming the country’s socio- economic status for a better nation,’ Mr Muntu stated.

National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni has promised further dialogue with the people of Nakasongola on the proposed nuclear energy project in the area.

While addressing a campaign rally at Wabinyonyi playground in Nakasongola Town Council, Nakasongola District on Tuesday, the incumbent President said more research will be conducted about the project and its alleged side effects.

‘It’s not true that nuclear energy will make the men impotent as alleged. We shall investigate and possibly use the Internet to find out the truth. Many developed countries have nuclear stations. But as the NRM government, we believe in dialogue. At one time we had several more complicated issues than the nuclear project that we managed to resolve with dialogue,’ he said.

Mr Museveni also promised to deal with the land problem in Nakasongola, which he partly blamed on the colonialists and Buganda Kingdom.

‘The NRM government believes in equality, which is the very reason why when we captured power, we supported and helped restore cultural rights including kingdoms for communities that wanted their culture restored. For Buruuli, you have the right to enjoy culture and language without any external suppression. NRM stands for equality,’ he said.

The Baruuli are the largest ethnic group in Nakasogola. The President, who was accompanied by the First Lady Janet Museveni, promised to build new health units at Migeera and Mayirikiti as requested by the local disleaders.

While the general political perception is that Nakasongola is a traditional stronghold of NRM where the party has previously enjoyed overwhelming support, the 2016 and 2021 elections paint a different picture.

The two voting cycles show the Opposition political parties gaining ground in the region, especially in urban centres and the fishing communities on the Lake Kyoga. Nakasongola has more than 15 fish landing sites on the shores of Lake Kyoga.

During the 2016 General Election, the then leading Opposition presidential candidate Kizza Besigye garnered a total of 7,470 votes (13.79 percent ) while the NRM party presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni got 45,757 votes (84.46 percent ).

During the 2021 General Election, the Opposition gained more ground in the district, with National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, garnering a total of 18,213 votes (33.14 percent) while Mr Museveni collected a total of 35,823 votes (65.18 percent).

Mr James Kyamuzungu Kayemba, a retired civil servant and elder in Migeera Town Council in Nakasongola District, explained that when Besigye first visited Nakasongola in 2010 while canvassing for support, the NRM party downplayed his influence on the electorates.

‘The fact is that Besigye in 2010 exposed the weaknesses in the service delivery system in many areas that he visited including the fishing communities. He told the communities that the only way to show their disapproval was through the ballot. Between 2015 and 2021, the youth and the other dissenting voices who are landless after getting evicted from land are communicating through the ballot box,’ he told Daily Monitor on December 26, 2025.

However, Mr Christopher Nkoyoyo, the Nakasongola District NRM party chairperson, said the recent ground mobilisation strategy by top NRM officials including the visit by the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja to ease fears of a government plan to relocate hundreds of families in Kalungi Sub-county over the nuclear plant programme plays in the favour of the NRM party.

‘Selfish politicians had taken advantage of the government nuclear programme to spread wild allegations about a possible relocation of hundreds of families from their existing land in Kalungi Sub-county. But the prime minister has since reassured the residents that the nuclear programme has not taken root. We believe that the fears that had tried to injure the NRM party campaign using the nuclear plant project have been cleared,’ he said.

Background

The 2024 National Population and Housing Census put the population of Nakasongola at 226,074 people. The district is divided into eight sub-counties and five town councils.

The updated voter register by EC puts the number of registered voters in Nakasongola District at 107,877, while the total number of registered voters for the 2021 General Election was 89,647.