National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has decried the poor state of infrastructure in Busoga Sub-region, saying it continues to undermine the region’s vast economic potential. Speaking during the second day of his campaign tour of Busoga in Buyende District yesterday, Mr Kyagulanyi highlighted poor road infrastructure, lack of electricity, and neglected public services as key barriers keeping Busoga in a cycle of poverty and underdevelopment.
He expressed concern over the underutilisation of Busoga’s vast natural resources. ‘Busoga is endowed with valuable resources, but poor road networks have hindered its economic growth. These roads must be upgraded and connected to major highways through tarmacking to stimulate development,’ he said. He urged the people of Busoga to safeguard their land from encroachment, warning that land grabbing could jeopardise the region’s future development.
Mr Kyagulanyi criticised the lack of access to electricity in the sub-region, highlighting the irony that electricity is generated in Busoga but many residents live in darkness, especially in the rural communities. He pledged that under his leadership, every homestead would be connected to electricity. He also promised to release all prisoners currently incarcerated across the country, though he did not elaborate on the conditions for such releases.
In his proposed government, Mr Kyagulanyi aims to improve the health system in Busoga and other regions, particularly to eliminate maternal deaths. He emphasised the need to uplift the welfare of security personnel by ensuring the lowest-ranking ones receive a monthly salary of at least Shs1m and are provided with proper housing and benefits. The lowest paid police officers are the police constables who take home Shs440,000, which the NUP leader said is too low to meet their needs. He further pledged to create regional cities based on geographical location and promote equitable employment opportunities.
‘Jobs should be given to all Ugandans, regardless of their region. It’s unacceptable that some government offices are dominated by individuals from only one region. That will not be tolerated in our government,’ he stated.
Meanwhile, security forces stopped Mr Kyagulanyi’s team from accessing Bukungu Landing Site in Buyende District, where two ferries are still waiting to be commissioned and a long-promised ice plant has reportedly been vandalised. The road heading to the site was blocked by armoured vehicles, preventing Mr Kyagulanyi and his team from inspecting the area. Instead, he was diverted to Bukungu Primary School, where he addressed a large crowd.
Despite this unforeseen incident, Mr Kyagulanyi said it spoke volumes about the government’s neglect of the region. ‘This regime doesn’t want us to expose the rot, the neglect, the exploitation, and the suffering they’ve subjected you to in your own land and community,’ Mr Kyagulanyi said. ‘But the statement has already been made. What you’ve seen today is evidence enough and that’s why we rally under the umbrella for shelter from this political storm.’ While addressing separate rallies in Kidera Town (Budiope West) and Irundu Town (Budiope East), Mr Kyagulanyi described his campaign as the beginning of a ‘new dawn’ in Uganda’s political landscape.
He called on all citizens, regardless of political or ideological affiliation, to join the struggle for regime change and national liberation. In Kamuli, security personnel were heavily deployed.
Expecting his arrival, crowds filled the streets and gathered at the town roundabout, eager to catch a glimpse of the singer-turned-politician. While addressing supporters in Budiope and Kamuli, Mr Kyagulanyi made several promises. He pledged to provide clean drinking water so that communities no longer rely on swamp water shared with cows, frogs, and mosquitoes.
He also promised to invest in irrigation systems to boost household incomes and reduce dependence on seasonal rains. For fishing communities, he vowed to provide free fishing gear to ease the burden of state-imposed restrictions. On education, he promised major reforms, including school feeding programmes and efforts to address inequalities in teachers’ welfare. But after his rally in Namwendwa, his convoy was placed under tight escort. He was driven through at high speed while sticking his head and upper part of his body through the sunroof of his vehicle and was not allowed to make any stopovers, leaving the waiting crowd disappointed.
About Busoga
The Busoga Sub-region has a population of 4.37 million people as of May 2024, representing 9.51 percent of the national population. In the 2021 presidential elections, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi (NUP) emerged victorious in eight out of 12 districts within the Busoga sub-region.