President Museveni Launches Greater Masaka NRM Campaign in Rakai, Promises Oil Wealth and Expanded Services

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Wednesday afternoon kicked off the National Resistance Movement (NRM) campaign tour for the Greater Masaka sub-region with a major rally in Rakai District, where he presented the party’s manifesto and outlined key achievements and priorities ahead of the 2026 general elections.

Addressing party leaders, supporters and residents, President Museveni said the Rakai rally marked the beginning of an intensive engagement with voters across Greater Masaka, aimed at accounting for the NRM’s record in government and sharing the party’s vision for the next term.

The President highlighted Uganda’s economic transformation, pointing to infrastructure expansion, energy access and the forthcoming oil production as major milestones under NRM leadership. He assured residents that commercial oil production is expected to commence by 2026, a development he said would significantly boost national revenue.

However, Museveni cautioned that oil wealth must be managed prudently.

“The oil money must be used in an organised way, with clear priorities that benefit all Ugandans,” he said, emphasizing investment in infrastructure, education, health and wealth creation rather than consumption.

On rural electrification, the President reported steady progress in Rakai District, noting that 13 out of the district’s 19 sub-counties are already connected to the national electricity grid. He pledged that the remaining sub-counties will be connected, underscoring the role of electricity in value addition, industrial growth and job creation.

Museveni also announced that Rakai will benefit from the Kagera Water Project, a major regional initiative aimed at improving access to clean and safe water. The project will also serve Isingiro and Mbarara districts, addressing long-standing water shortages in the region.

“Water is life. With this project, we are solving a critical problem for households, livestock and production,” the President said.

The NRM party chairman used the rally to remind voters of the historical role of the NRM in restoring peace and stability, arguing that sustained development depends on experienced and tested leadership. He urged residents to support continuity by voting for him in the forthcoming elections.

“I urge you to vote for the old man with a hat,” Museveni said, drawing cheers from supporters as he reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding peace, unity and economic progress.

Local NRM leaders welcomed the President to Rakai and praised government investments in roads, electricity, water and social services, saying the projects have improved livelihoods and opened up the district to economic opportunities.

The Rakai rally sets the tone for Museveni’s wider campaign across Greater Masaka, a region considered politically significant, as the NRM intensifies its mobilisation ahead of the 2026 polls.