President Museveni has attributed the increasing cases of land grabbing and evictions in the Bunyoro sub-region to poor leadership choices, saying the crisis is not a legal problem but a result of voters electing leaders who fail to defend the people they represent.
Museveni made the remarks while addressing journalists from the Bunyoro sub-region on Monday as he neared the completion of his regional campaign tour.
He questioned how people can be evicted from their land when leadership structures exist from Local Council One officials to Members of Parliament, accusing leaders of watching helplessly instead of advocating for their communities.
Museveni said that once land cases reach court, corruption often works against the poor, arguing that the failure lies with leaders who abandon their responsibility to defend citizens’ rights.
“We solved the land question in CA, so how people get evicted when they have leaders, what are all these leaders doing, do we abolish them, you need to vote for the right leaders who can advocate for your rights,” Museveni said.
He cautioned voters to be careful in the forthcoming elections and urged them not to vote for leaders who cannot stand up for them in times of crisis.
The president also asked residents to renew their trust in the National Resistance Movement, criticising rival presidential candidates for what he described as a lack of a clear economic agenda, particularly on regional markets for Uganda’s surplus production.
“Bobi Wine, Mugisha Muntu, Munyagwa, the rest I don’t know you, your Excellency what plans do you have for the people of Uganda about the market, we advocate for regional integration and we shall achieve it, as NRM we are getting there,” he said.
On the debate surrounding oil and gas revenues in the Albertine region, Museveni urged residents to remain calm, saying oil resources would not be shared out as cash but invested in long-term national infrastructure.
“I don’t want to mention countries, but there are African countries that are still poor because they just ate oil money, our focus is going to be on investing oil money in things that can last, railway line connecting the entire Uganda, dams, also thinking about roads but these ones wear out, our idea is to invest in long time things, I hear share share you pay wages, buy dead people hair, buy cars this is not ideal, oil is here for few years we must use it well,” he said.
Museveni also expressed concern over continued charges in government schools despite the policy of free education, saying the practice has contributed to high dropout rates and would be addressed firmly.
“It’s very hard that schools ask for money, this has left many drop out of school, but I’m glad my skilling centres are doing well, many drop outs have been skilled,” he said.
On Lake Albert, Museveni acknowledged complaints of harassment by security personnel and said meetings were ongoing to reduce military presence on the lake and allow indigenous communities to manage fishing activities with minimal security involvement.
“I got the system, the ladder which can see on the lake, but army on the lake has not used it, but I’m going to tell Muhoozi to cane those officers for not doing the work, we can’t allow Congolese come and attack our people take their boats,” he said.
He further condemned continued attacks by Congolese forces and fishermen on Ugandans, saying systems and equipment had already been introduced but were not being effectively used.
Museveni also appealed to cultural leaders to avoid tribalism and instead promote a national and East African agenda focused on unity, economic integration, peace and development.
