Following the conclusion of the nomination exercise last month, several aspiring Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Bukedi Sub-region have launched their manifestos for the 2026 General Election. From Budaka to Kibuku, Pallisa to Butebo, the candidates are pledging to address what they call the key problems slowing down community development. Campaigns across the region have now gained momentum, with parliamentary hopefuls making big promises to improve roads, schools, health services, and tackle youth unemployment.
Iki-Iki
Mr Dauson Nabucha, the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag-bearer for Iki-Iki County in Budaka District, said he plans to revive agriculture to boost household incomes. ‘We are in a race not to enrich ourselves but to serve the people. A good leader must direct the community on what to do that could benefit them. Agriculture is the backbone of this region,’ Mr Nabucha said. He added: ‘Our communities have stayed in a vicious cycle of poverty not because of their own making but because of lack of guidance and support, and it is the reason I have joined the race to offer good leadership.’
Mr Nabucha noted that he will encourage people to diversify into projects such as poultry, piggery, and cattle keeping, supported by agricultural extension workers. He also plans to promote the use of fertilisers and improved seeds. He added that he will lobby for tractors to promote mechanised farming, boost productivity, and help farmers engage in commercial agriculture. On health, Mr Nabucha said many health centres are poorly equipped, often lack medicines, and do not have enough staff to handle the large number of patients.
‘I will lobby for Iki-Iki Health Centre IV to be upgraded to a general hospital and have health facilities fully stocked with essential drugs,’ Mr Nabucha said.
The Iki-Iki County MP aspirant said he will advocate for a salary increment for teachers. ‘The government should invest heavily in the teachers’ welfare to have quality education. All these are possible if people have good representation,’ he said. Mr Nabucha said he will also push for routine inspection of schools to identify challenges and solutions.
‘If I carry out a feasibility study, it will guide me to identify these challenges at all levels, both primary and secondary, because I could have diagnosed before seeking treatment,’ he said. He added that he will push for the cattle compensation programme since many residents lost their animals during insurgencies in the area. On unemployment, Mr Nabucha said he plans to establish a skilling centre and provide start-up funds to trainees after completing their courses, saying this will help change people’s mindset towards self-employment.
The incumbent Iki-Iki MP, Mr Robert Kasolo, who is contesting as an Independent after losing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket during the party primaries, said he has supported several schools, health centres, and sports activities in his area. On roads, Mr Kasolo pledged to continue lobbying the government to tarmac roads such as the Kamonkoli-Kabwangasi road, which he said is in a poor state and often impassable. ‘I promise to serve them effectively and also promote unity as it has been,’ he said.
He urged the people to desist from the politics of divisions. Mr Swaibu Abdul Kampanya, who seeking to represent the people of Iki-Iki on the NRM ticket, said he intends to address the concerns of the people. Former Iki-Iki MP, Mr Jeremiah Twa-Twa, who has returned to the race as an Independent candidate, said he wants to revive what has collapsed since he left office. He said the school feeding programme he introduced during his previous term has since fallen apart. ‘We had initiated this programme to improve the academic performance, but since I was shown the exit, the school feeding programme collapsed. But if mandated again, I will revamp the programme,’ Dr Twa-Twa said.
He also pledged to revamp the vegetable growing projects that he had also initiated during his term to address the issue of food insecurity.
Another aspirant, Mr Sam Gagi Mujomba, described Iki-Iki County as a sick-bay that needs to be put in intensive care in order to save the lives of people.
Mr Mujomba also noted that the poverty situation in Iki-Iki County is so worrying, and needs effective leadership that could guide and support the communities to engage in viable enterprises.
‘The youth unemployment could be addressed with the establishment of a vocational skills centre. People should look out for a capable leader who can drive their agenda in the right direction,’ he said.
Butebo
The incumbent Butebo District Woman MP, Ms Agnes Amede, who is seeking re-election on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, said her third term will focus on improving key social services such as health, education, and roads, as well as supporting vulnerable women with income-generating projects. She pledged to ensure areas without electricity are connected to the national power grid and to follow up on the tarmacking of the Ladoto-Nakaloke road. ‘The President had pledged to have this road tarmacked, but I will have to continue reminding the government to fulfil this pledge,’ Ms Amede said.
She added: ‘I have offered good representation in Parliament and in tandem with projects initiated on the ground, are visible. It’s from this background that the people of Butebo still have trust in my leadership’. Ms Amede said she will set up an irrigation scheme in Kachulu to support women groups to continue planting vegetables, which could earn them money and also as a source of food for home consumption.
She added that many Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (Saccos) have been trained in partnership with Microfinance Support Centre to enable them benefit from various government projects like Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM). ‘I have personally supported the people of Butebo with various interventions in all sectors. This is why people will still vote me back to Parliament,’ she said.
Budaka
Ms Stella Namutamba, an Independent candidate seeking the Budaka District Woman MP seat, pledged to address the collapsing and declining education standards in the district. She promised to prioritise education by improving school infrastructure and advocating for more classrooms and desks. ‘The education standard has drastically declined to a level of structures evidently collapsing,’ she said. On health, she said the entire system is ‘broken’ and requires urgent attention.
Ms Namutamba also pledged to lobby for the establishment of an industrial hub in the district to address market and unemployment challenges. Ms Hajira Musenero (Independent), also seeking the Budaka District Woman MP seat, said improving health services is one of her top priorities. Mr Joshua Kasibo (Independent), who is trying for the fourth time to represent the people of Budaka County in Budaka District, said his main focus will be to fight the ‘nkolera kida kyonka’ attitude – a local phrase meaning working only for the stomach – by promoting income-generating projects.
‘I have come to work for the people rather than enriching myself. We need to overhaul the situation right from health, education, and roads because the situation is so bad. This can be attributed to poor leadership,’ he said. He added: ‘I am a tested leader and parliamentary material who has shown that I have that capacity to deliver to the people’s expectation. We are tired of sleeping MPs who only wake up to seek re-election.’
Mr Moses Goire (NRM), who is seeking to represent the people of Budaka County in Budaka District, has promised to promote unity among people at all levels.
‘We have to implement the NRM manifesto to serve the people better. Notwithstanding, we shall also establish income-generating projects to empower communities to drive out of poverty,’ Mr Goire said.
Kibuku
The incumbent Kibuku District Woman MP, Ms Jennipher Namuyangu, who is running as an Independent after losing in the NRM party primaries, said what she has done in the district speaks volumes Ms Namuyangu, who is also the Minister of State for Bunyoro Affairs, explained that just like in most areas, health, roads, education, income generating projects have transformed communities. ‘It is from this background that the people of Kibuku still have that confidence of voting me back to Parliament. Much as I lost the NRM ticket, those elections were a sham,’ she said.
Ms Namuyangu urged the communities to embrace commercial farming by engaging trainers to train them on viable enterprises like fish farming, poultry and many others. Mr Charles Tamwenya, who is seeking to represent the people of Kibuku County on the NRM ticket, noted that he will implement the NRM manifesto.
Kabweri County
Mr Mathias Daka, an Independent candidate for the Kabweri County MP seat in Kibuku District, pledged to fight for the vulnerable, including orphans and widows.
He also pledged to prioritise road construction and maintenance to ease transport challenge in the largely rural district. ‘Once we improve the learning environment, it will help to reduce drop-outs, especially among girls. This is why I appeal to voters to entrust me and vote me to serve them,’ he said.
Mr Patrick Wakida, who is contesting for Kabweri County MP seat on the NRM ticket, said his priority areas are education, poverty reduction, youth unemployment, roads, health, which he says are the most key. ‘The people of Kabweri County and Kibuku in general have been grappling with these concerns because of the poor leadership but once I am entrusted with that mandate, we will see a fundamental change,’ Mr Wakida said.
EC comments
The Budaka District Returning Officer, Ms Norah Lunyoro, said a total of 19 candidates were nominated during the two days of nominations.
She, however, urged the candidates to avoid open campaigns until the harmonisation process is completed. Ms Lunyoro also commended all stakeholders for maintaining law and order.
‘During the two-day exercise, the EC didn’t register any major incident or challenge. The exercise was smooth and was completed in time,’Ms Lunyoro said.