Kibaale, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced Tuesday that the Bunyoro subregion will receive a new industrial park and an additional skilling hub, promising to further expand industrialization and youth empowerment efforts.
The pledge was made during the president’s first campaign rally in the subregion, held at Buyanja Village, Kamurasi Ward, Kibaale Town Council in Kibaale District. At the event, Mr. Museveni also presented the National Resistance Movement’s core contributions to Uganda over the past four decades.
Mr. Museveni emphasized that peace, the NRM’s first contribution, remains the foundation for Uganda’s progress. He reminded residents that they were direct witnesses to the ADF incursions in Muzizi before the government defeated them. He also praised the Church of Owobusobozi Bisakka for promoting unity, which he said complements the NRM’s nonsectarian politics.
Addressing development, the president dismissed claims that his government neglected Bunyoro. He asserted that the NRM prioritizes projects based on strategy, not populism, citing completed infrastructure like the Hoima–Kyegegwa road and other major economic and social facilities across the region.
Mr. Museveni stressed that development must go hand in hand with wealth creation, the NRM’s third contribution. He advised small landholders to adopt the four-acre model, which focuses on high-value crops and enterprises such as coffee, fruits, pasture, food crops, poultry and fish farming. He referenced success stories like Deziranta Tumusime of Rubirizi and Johnson Basangwa of Kamuli, whose incomes increased after adopting NRM-guided enterprise approaches and Parish Development Model support. For those with ample land, he recommended ventures like tea and cotton.
On job creation, the president stated that most employment comes from private enterprise—factories, information and communications technology, services and commercial agriculture—highlighting the impact of existing industrial parks in Namanve, Mbale and Kapeka.
Responding to local demands, Mr. Museveni said Kibaale deserves its own industrial park to add value to regional products. He noted that while the existing Kabalega Industrial Park is dedicated to petroleum-related industries, Bunyoro now requires another park for broader production.
“We need about 10 square miles for the industrial park, and we shall get it,” he assured the crowd. He added that the government will also construct an additional Skilling Hub to equip young people with employable skills.
The Second National Vice Chairperson of the NRM and Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, thanked the president for sustained development in Bunyoro and urged residents to support him in the upcoming election. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja hailed Mr. Museveni for championing women’s emancipation, saying her own rise to Parliament and the premiership reflects the opportunities women now enjoy.
Jonard Asiimwe, the NRM Vice Chairperson for the Western Region, pledged to follow up on the industrial park’s implementation. Kibaale District NRM Chairperson Matovu Fred thanked the president for transformative projects in Bunyoro, such as Kabalega International Airport, Hoima City Stadium, the regional public university and improved road networks. He reaffirmed the district’s readiness, noting that 110 acres have already been secured for the proposed industrial park in Kibaale.
