President Museveni Urges Buliisa Residents to Seize Opportunities from Oil Development

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni this afternoon held a campaign rally in Buliisa District, where he emphasized the importance of ensuring that local communities fully benefit from the ongoing oil and gas developments in the Bunyoro sub-region.

Addressing thousands of supporters, President Museveni noted that oil discovery alone does not automatically translate into prosperity for the people. Instead, he stressed that wealth creation must be deliberate, planned, and anchored in individual and household enterprise.

Oil: A Catalyst, Not a Guarantee of Prosperity

The President reminded residents that many oil-producing countries around the world are not necessarily the richest nations. Their success, he said, comes from investing petroleum revenues wisely and ensuring that citizens participate meaningfully in wealth-creating activities.

“The oil resource is bringing many opportunities to Bunyoro and the host districts like Buliisa. However, we must ensure our people do not fall into the misfortune of living near opportunity without benefiting from it,” he said.

Museveni highlighted that government investments in roads and tourism infrastructure around the oil belt are essential, but these alone cannot transform livelihoods unless citizens engage in productive work.

The President reiterated the importance of national development programs aimed at lifting households out of poverty. He encouraged residents to take advantage of initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), GROW, and other enterprise-support schemes.

These programs, he said, are designed to help families start small businesses, join productive enterprises, and improve their income generation capacity—ensuring that the benefits of oil are not restricted to government projects or a few individuals.

“The roads for oil and tourism are important, but the real benefit comes from work and enterprise through PDM, Emyooga, OWC, GROW and the direct jobs created,” he emphasized.

President Museveni told the people of Buliisa that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has a clear and proven plan for transforming the country through wealth creation and household income improvement. He urged them to continue supporting the NRM so the government can sustain long-term development strategies that ensure local communities benefit directly from the oil sector.

“Uganda will also gain from oil, but we must have a proper plan that benefits both the country and the local people. This is why it is important to listen to the NRM message on wealth creation and household income,” he said.

Local Expectations High as Oil Production Nears

Buliisa District is one of the key host areas for Uganda’s oil developments, and anticipation continues to grow as production plans move forward. Communities are looking to job opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and enterprise growth to transform the region. Museveni’s message centered on ensuring that no family remains a bystander to this economic shift.

President Museveni’s rally in Buliisa reinforced the government’s commitment to inclusive development as Uganda approaches the oil production phase. By encouraging residents to embrace enterprise and tap into government programs, the President underscored that the true wealth of the region will come not just from oil, but from the people’s active participation in productive economic activities.