Muntu promises to make Bududa roads 'engines of wealth'

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Presidential candidate Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu has promised to tarmac key roads in Bududa district, an area long plagued by poor road networks due to porous soils that are prone to mass wasting.

The roads become a muddy mess in the rain and are severely potholed during the dry season, making transport a "nightmare." Muntu promised to construct bridges for the communities affected by landslides.

Once voted in January 2026, Muntu, who is the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) flag-bearer, says he will start on the Bubulo-Bududa circular road that he says is a lifeline for farmers transporting agricultural produce such as coffee, maize, beans and bananas.

“Under our agriculture programme, we shall cut transport costs, fix feeder roads, connect farms to markets and curb post-harvest losses which have kept Bududa district in poverty,” he said.

LC 1 chairperson Bubwaya ward David Bwayo leading the presidential convoy heading to the collapsed bridge in Manafwa district on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Ptoto by Isaac Nuwagaba)

(Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

While addressing a rally at Bududa township village in Bududa town council, Bududa district, on November 24, 2025, Muntu said this would be one of the easiest channels to fight poverty in Bugisu region.

“We promise you that we will set up a co-operative bank to give farmers cheap loans, free tractor hires to boost commercial farming, and this shall be done after we have fought corruption, which is eating up disposable income in the national treasury,” he emphasised.

“We won’t just pave roads; we’ll make them engines of wealth. No more rotting crops, and there shall be no excuse for missed markets.”

Patrick Wabwire, the LC chairperson for Bududa township cell, revealed that President Yoweri Museveni promised its tarmac in 2021, citing secured funds, but Wabwire questioned the pace.

“Every five years, they tell us that they shall work on Bududa roads, but when elections end, all those promises vanish in the air,” he disclosed.

Residents echoed pain: “We sell cheap, buy expensively. Roads kill dreams,” Geoffrey Rubangakene said.

Locals walking with Muntu during his campaign trail. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)(Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Locals who were holding Muntu's posters on the Manafwa River where the bridge collapsed. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

I will fight poverty because fighting poverty is not fate but rather government policy, Muntu added. 

"Eastern Uganda ranks second after the Karamoja region in poverty levels. This is why I come with a streamlined agricultural campaign agenda to empower indigenous communities to fight poverty," Muntu emphasised.

Locals walking during Muntu's campaign trail. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

Fight poverty through education

Bududa town council has two primary schools, namely, Manjiya Primary School and Buloli Primary School.

According to Muntu, ‘ANT government’ shall strengthen education systems for improved learning, but we shall sensitise farmers on growing coffee as one of the cash crops in the country.

Ranking the most affected regions in Uganda, Muntu said, despite the abundant resources in eastern Uganda, locals have been left poor.

“Eastern Uganda ranks second after the Karamoja region in poverty levels. This is why I come with a streamlined agricultural campaign agenda to empower indigenous communities to fight poverty," he said.

“Grow more coffee because we have designed a clear marketing strategy to get fair prices for locally produced coffee," he said.

We will allocate 10% of the national budget to agriculture, prioritising farmers in our commercial agriculture approach.

“Because of high taxation policies, farmers have been neglected, and we do not seem to have a clear agricultural sector agenda for ordinary farmers," he observed.

We shall remove all taxes on agriculture-related inputs to make them affordable for all farmers to adopt meaningful agricultural practices, such as solar-powered irrigation systems.