Kamwenge to host new UPDF barracks as Museveni vows sustained peace

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Kamwenge district is set to host a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) battalion and barracks after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced new security and development interventions during a campaign rally at Kyabenda Primary School playground.

The President, also the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer, on Monday (December 8), said the deployment would consolidate the peace restored in a region once affected by Allied Democratic Forces activity.

“For a long time, Kamwenge faced insecurity because of ADF incursions through the forests. But because of unity and a strong army, we have managed to maintain peace,” President Museveni said.

“Whenever the ADF attempted to enter this area, we chased them away and defeated them. To consolidate this peace, we are going to establish a battalion here in Kamwenge and look for land to build a barracks.”

He told supporters that the government had since shifted its attention to tackling household poverty, noting that many farmers had embraced commercial farming.

“I am glad to see that many farmers here listened to our message, you have moved away from small-scale maize growing to coffee, fruits and bananas. This is the Ekibaaro I have been preaching, small land, commercial farming. Those who listened are now in the money economy. You should continue,” he emphasised.

The President said the district had been earmarked for further development projects, including an industrial park and a presidential slaughter hub to support livestock farmers. He added that SACCOs and seed nurseries would be established, with seed beds allocated per constituency and per district.

On infrastructure, President Museveni said major road upgrades were planned.

“We worked from Lyantonde through Ibanda to Kamwenge and Fort Portal. We are now going to work on the Kyenjojo–Kihura road and also improve the Rwimi road,” he said.

He further described irrigation as the country’s next major focus. “Our new war is irrigation. The government will take it seriously, but we must make sure we do not destroy our wetlands,” he said.

He also highlighted the achievements of farmers such as retired district inspector of schools Julius Akorinako, who shifted from maize to clonal coffee in 2019 and now earns an estimated net income of sh40 million annually.

“I thank Julius for listening to our message,” the President said.

Turning to education, the President acknowledged gaps that had hindered free education and said the creation of presidential skilling hubs was intended to bridge those gaps.
One beneficiary, Racheal Natukunda from Kyenjojo district, said the programme enabled her to study hairdressing and cosmetology.

“At the skilling hub, I studied mindset change and later learnt hairdressing and cosmetology,” she said. She now runs her own salon and has expanded into poultry farming.

The President described her progress as an example of what skilling programmes are meant to achieve. “Natukunda was once hopeless. Today, she is skilled, she employs others, and she owns poultry. That is exactly what we want for our young people.”

Later in the rally, the President handed over NRM flags to parliamentary aspirants and other party candidates.

Frank Tumwebaze, the NRM chairperson for Kamwenge district and Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, said the area’s growth had been supported by security and government interventions.

“We thank the NRM government for giving us Kamwenge District and for defeating the ADF threat in this region,” he said.

He added that more than half of households had shifted from maize to coffee following government guidance.

“Previously, most families depended on maize. Today, following government guidance, more than half of our homesteads have shifted to coffee. Many of our farmers are now medium- and large-scale producers,” he said.

Tumwebaze also presented the district’s updated statistics, including a population of 337,167 people, 18 sub-counties and town councils, and 442 villages. He noted that 91,749 voters, about 78 percent of those registered, turned out for the 2021 presidential elections.

He said the district had received over sh19bn under the Parish Development Model, with nearly 98 percent already disbursed to 18,625 households. He added that 36 Emyooga SACCOs with more than 15,500 members had benefited from nearly sh2 billion in government support.

He said five new seed secondary schools were under construction and acknowledged gaps in health services, calling for upgrades to Kamwenge Health Centre III and more personnel.

Water access now stands at 66 percent of rural villages, and electricity connections are being expanded to the remaining sub-counties.

The rally was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders, and thousands of residents.