President Museveni Pledges Urban Development, Infrastructure, and Wealth Creation Initiatives for Masindi

Masindi: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured residents of Masindi District that the government will fast-track urban development interventions, including roads and market infrastructure, under the upcoming Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) program. This comes after Masindi missed out on previous phases of the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) initiative.

The UCMID program, in its final planning stages, is expected to commence in 2026 under the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development (MLHUD).

Speaking at a campaign rally in Masindi Municipality on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, and accompanied by First Daughter Mrs. Natasha Museveni Karugire, the President acknowledged Masindi’s historic contribution to the liberation struggle.

“Masindi supported us very much during the struggle, and you prayed for us when we fought here. However, I realize Masindi was left out of the USMID program, and they worked in other towns. Masindi will be considered,” Museveni said.

Key Government Directives and Development Plans

• Land and Agriculture: President Museveni directed Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja to urgently address persistent land-grabbing cases and to enforce the Sugar Act, ensuring protection of sugarcane out-growers. He also pledged more tractors for agricultural mechanization.
• Transport and Trade: A new ferry on Lake Albert will be provided to enhance trade and economic links with neighboring districts.
• Electrification: Fifteen of Masindi’s 18 sub-counties and the municipality are now connected to the national grid, with remaining sub-counties to receive electricity in the next term.
• Education: Masindi has 98 government primary schools and 11 secondary schools, with nine offering Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post-O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET). The government plans to establish a primary school per parish and a secondary school per sub-county.
• Healthcare: The district currently has one hospital, three Health Centre IVs, and nine Health Centre IIIs, with seven sub-counties lacking facilities. Planned upgrades include new HCIIIs and improvements to existing HCIIs.
• Water Access: Out of 417 rural villages, only 196 have access to safe water (47%), leaving 221 villages without reliable clean water.

President Museveni emphasized the importance of pairing development with household wealth creation. He encouraged residents to adopt commercial farming under the four-acre model, citing successful farmers generating significant income from dairy and poultry.

“Development without wealth is useless,” he stressed, urging communities to focus on sustainable agricultural enterprises even as oil production commences in 2026.

Museveni highlighted challenges in PDM fund management, noting that Masindi District and Municipality, with 57 parishes, have received Shs 20.35 billion, of which 85.9% has reached 17,609 beneficiary households. He vowed to ensure full, leakage-free distribution of PDM resources.

The rally also focused on the 2026 elections. Speaker of Parliament and NRM 2nd National Vice Chairperson Rt. Hon. Anita Among encouraged voters to support NRM, emphasizing the link between government allocation of resources and party backing. Local women requested the construction of a modern market in Masindi municipality.

Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Uganda Hon. Asiimwe Jonard, and senior party leaders, including NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong and NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, addressed the rally, reaffirming strong support for the ruling party in Bunyoro ahead of the elections.

President Museveni concluded by reiterating the NRM’s track record of peace, development, and wealth creation, stressing that the next term will focus on completing ongoing projects and expanding initiatives to enhance household incomes.