President Museveni Roots for Mindset Change as Key to Ending Poverty in Kigezi

Kabale District — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on residents of Kabale and the greater Kigezi Sub-region to embrace wealth creation at the household level, noting that infrastructure alone cannot lift families out of poverty unless individuals take deliberate steps to improve their livelihoods.

Speaking during a rally in Kabale, the NRM presidential flag bearer emphasised that national development must begin in homes, where families turn available opportunities into productive ventures. Museveni recalled that even during the 1950s and 1960s, Kabale had some of the early tarmacked roads in Uganda, yet poverty persisted among many households.

“Development will not enter your home automatically,” he said. “You can have roads and electricity everywhere, but if you do not create your own wealth, poverty will stay at your doorstep.”

According to the President, the message of household-driven economic transformation is not new. He traced its roots to the early mobilisation efforts in Kigezi, noting his interactions with leaders such as Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda in the 1960s. Even then, he said, the major obstacle to prosperity was not the absence of infrastructure but the lack of enterprise within homes.

President Museveni highlighted government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga as strategic interventions designed to stimulate production and enterprise at the grassroots. These funds, he explained, provide families with capital to start income-generating activities, break the cycle of subsistence living, and transition to the money economy.

“We send funds like PDM and Emyooga to help families begin the journey of wealth creation,” the President said. “We want every household to engage in productive enterprises — whether in farming, services, or small industries — so that they produce for both consumption and the market.”

He added that wealth at the household level creates jobs within the community, strengthens local markets, and attracts investors who further create employment opportunities. This, he noted, forms part of the NRM’s long-term vision of inclusive growth.

Museveni reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding roads, electricity, and other infrastructure across Uganda. However, he cautioned that infrastructure alone cannot transform communities unless residents actively use these facilities to generate income.

“You can have electricity and roads everywhere, but if households remain idle, the region will not move forward,” he said. “Infrastructure is an enabler — it opens the door — but you must walk through it by engaging in productive work.”

The President informed the gathering that he will outline the full package of the NRM’s focus areas, including six additional points, during a scheduled press briefing. These focus areas are expected to guide the party’s agenda for the next term.

He appealed to the people of Kabale and the entire Kigezi region to renew the NRM’s mandate so that the government can consolidate the achievements already made, especially in fighting poverty and transforming rural livelihoods.

As the campaign trail continues across the country, Museveni’s message remains consistent: wealth creation starts at home, and every Ugandan household must play an active role in shaping its economic future.