The Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda has blamed internal bickering in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for the opposition’s recurring victory in Mukono district. Babalanda has therefore appealed to the ruling party supporters in Mukono to reconcile ahead of 2026 so as to change the status quo.
She was sad to note that party supporters are rejecting their flag bearers in preference to opposition candidates, saying that this is the reason why the district has not been benefitting from the majority MPs.
Babalanda observed that owing to the spirit of vengeance which compels NRM supporters to vote for the opposition, which she called a weak force, the opposition is erroneously viewed as being supreme over the NRM, and advocated for internal reconciliation to be able to eject the opposition in the next round of elections.
“The NRM is the first government in the history of the country to make financial handouts to fight poverty, look at the roads and markets the government is constructing; isn’t this enough testimony to show President Museveni’s generosity to warrant your votes for him?”, the minister inquired.
She was on Friday commissioning the refurbished office of Mukono Resident District Commissioner (RDC) at Upper Kauga zone in Mukono Central Division, recently given a facelift by the President’s Office.
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The Minister who sounded desperate and sincere in her appeal, was fast to put facts right saying, “I am not making orders but kindly appealing to you to vote for Mzee and all NRM flag bearers; the good thing is that I am a resident in Mukono and I will continue to monitor, remind and give guidance”.
Turning to the RDC Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka, Babalanda implored her to vigorously fight land grabbers and advised her to deploy her strong force of her deputy, assistants, police and other law enforcers under her command to make land wrangles a thing of the past in the district.
Responding to an appeal by the LC I Chairperson for Upper Kauga, Alex Kamwaka seeking to have the recognizable age of elder persons from 80 to 50 years, the minister said the issue is a fragile one calling for intervention of higher authorities, and promised to take it up with such authorities.
She was accompanied by the Secretary in the Office of the President Maj. Martha Asiimwe and the Commissioner in-charge RDCs in Kampala Metropolitan Area Mbagadi Fred Nkaayi, both of whom commended the Mengo government for working in close co-operation with the RDC’s office in all matters of peace and good governance.
RDC Ndisaba reported to the minister that construction of 49 kilometres of roads have been commissioned, while upgrading roads in Mukono South including the one to Bule, offering access to the lake and subsequently to Ggaba landing site in Nakawa Division, Kampala district, as a shortcut for residents to ferry their produce to Kampala.
She appealed to the minister to prevail on the President to visit Mukono leaders saying, “He has repeatedly visited Luweero and always passes here on the way to the East but has not stopped for many years now”.
In a report on poverty reduction, Mukono Commercial Officer, Kenneth Ntege said 51 groups have benefitted from ‘emyooga’ to the tune of sh1.59bn, reflecting a population of over 800 beneficiaries.
Ntege said that owing to the intensive sensitization on the importance of saving, over sh900m has been saved according to data from the analysis with the banking institutions.
He said that although there are some beneficiaries who have not yet paid back, 18 SACCOs that have performed well have received an extra funding of sh20m each.
The Mukono district Vice Chairperson, Haji Asuman Muwummuza Lubowa reported that although only ten of the 43 district councilors subscribe to the ruling NRM, he managed to scoop the Vice Chairperson’s slot, and that development projects are proceeding on schedule; he attributed this to co-operation and unity of purpose in the council.
Elaborating, Muwummuza said 28 kilometres are being tarmacked, passenger train services between Kampala and Mukono have been restored, Mukono Central Division, Katosi and Nakifuma are yet to receive modernized markets under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area program, while business at Kyetume slaughter slab is to be reinstated.
Mukono Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Elizabeth Namanda thanked the government for the Parish Development Model (PDM) arrangement, saying that in spite of a few misgivings here and there among beneficiaries, in general terms it is a success story.
Namanda said that in 2023 over sh9bn were received by the district, while this year over sh8bn has been received and disbursed among the beneficiaries.
The district NRM Chairperson, Haji Twahir Ssebaggala outlined challenges faced including inadequate primary school teachers against a background where government recruitment is said to have hit a ceiling; and added that it is not rare to find a school with only four teachers.
Ssebaggala also pointed out that although power generation dams are multiplying in the country, rural electrification is still badly wanting while roads are also still in a poor state.
