Residents of Kiwungi village in Ssi Sub-county, Buikwe District, have renewed their call for President Museveni to fulfil a pledge he made more than three decades ago to construct Kiwungi Primary School.
The renewed appeal comes as President Museveni is expected to campaign in the district tomorrow under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) banner.
Community members say the President promised to build the school in 1993 after laying a foundation stone during a visit to the area, but the pledge has never been implemented.
According to residents, Kiwungi Primary School was established through a community initiative following an acute shortage of nearby government schools.
Parents pooled resources to start a community school aimed at improving access to education in Ssi Sub-county.
Residents say they have photographic evidence from 1993 showing President Museveni at the foundation-laying ceremony and signing an agreement with local leaders.
However, they claim repeated follow-ups with different government offices over the years have yielded no results.
“We have moved from one office to another since the foundation stone was laid, but nothing has been done,” one resident said, adding that pupils continue to study in unsafe and dilapidated structures.
In a bid to address the problem, the community began constructing the school using locally mobilised resources.
The project later stalled due to lack of funding, and the incomplete structure eventually collapsed, further worsening learning conditions.
Ms Aidah Katema, a resident who witnessed the President’s visit, recalled that Museveni made the pledge while addressing the community and promised additional support.
“He promised that the school would be constructed, and he also promised to provide a lorry to support the school, but up to now nothing has been done,” Katema said.
The school’s founder and retired teacher, Mr Paul Lwantale, said President Museveni thanked residents for supporting the National Resistance Army during the liberation struggle and assured them that he would return to officially commission the school after its construction.
Lwantale added that the President also pledged to build him a house and give him a cow in recognition of his support during the war and his role in establishing the community school.
“He appreciated our support during the war, laid the foundation stone, and promised to come back to officially open the school after building it,” Lwantale said.
Buikwe District Deputy Speaker Peter Kyaze described Kiwungi Primary School as critical to education in Ssi Sub-county but said many parents have since withdrawn their children due to safety concerns.
“This school was very important to the people of Ssi, but parents have withdrawn their children because the structures are unsafe,” Kyaze said.
He added that the district has written several times to relevant authorities to follow up on the President’s pledge but has not received any response.
Residents now hope that President Museveni’s current campaign tour of Buikwe District will draw renewed attention to the long-standing commitment, which they say is vital to improving education access and restoring public confidence in government promises.
