President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has campaigned for NRM Party candidate Idah Nabayiga ahead of the Wednesday June 24th ,2026 by -elections for the Kalangala District woman Member of Parliament .
He called on the voters to vote for Nabayiga to help sort out the islands fishing and transport challenges .
Addressing a big rally at Kibanga Playground in Kalangala Town Council Museveni said the island district’s development agenda requires leaders who work closely with the government.
“Kalangala, you have a problem. You voted opposition. I don’t know your MP, so who will present your issues because I don’t speak with the opposition,” Museveni said.
“Send us Nabayiga, add her to Carol, Lugoloobi and Governor Lunkuse so that we can sort all your mess.”
The President pledged to improve water transport on Lake Victoria by adding two more ferries to serve various routes in Kalangala.
He said government is planning two ferries that will operate on the Kasenyi-Mweena-Lwanabatya route and another from Entebbe-Nakiwogo to Kyamuswa and Lutoboka.
“We want ferries that move from one island to another, not just from the mainland to the islands,” he said.
Museveni also promised to tarmac the road from Lutoboka to Kyamuswa and address persistent electricity challenges in parts of the district, particularly in Kyamuswa.
“Kyamuswa has no power. I will sit with the elected leaders, including Nabayiga, and we discuss the power issue,” he said.
On social services, the President announced that government will construct three new secondary schools, one in each of the sub-counties that currently lack a government secondary school.
He also said that although all the district’s seven sub-counties have health centres, government will prioritise the construction of a district referral hospital.
The President renewed his call for residents to embrace oil palm cultivation, saying government remains committed to reviving the Kyamuswa oil palm project.
“The Shs50 billion for the Kyamuswa project is still intact. We shall work with the NRM MPs to ensure that the project is rejuvenated. We shall support the people of Kyamuswa to embrace oil palm cultivation,” he said.
Museveni also highlighted tourism as another key economic opportunity for the island district, pledging continued government investment in roads, electricity and water infrastructure to attract investors.
“The third private venture here is tourism. We shall construct roads, power and water systems so that the rich people can come here and spend their money. We want local people to also benefit from tourism by selling eggs, milk and other products,” he said, encouraging residents to diversify into coffee growing and other commercial enterprises.
On the contentious fishing sector, the President defended government efforts to regulate fishing activities, saying he had taken time to study the industry and understand the causes of declining fish stocks.
Speaking earlier, the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko, hailed the unity exhibited by party leaders and the peaceful conduct of campaigns in the island district, saying the exercise had demonstrated the strength of the party’s grassroots mobilisation structures.
“Today we are in Kalangala Town Council to conclude our campaigns together with none other than the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement and President of Uganda. Before his arrival, we have been moving across Kalangala with NRM leaders, Members of Parliament, district leaders and local government officials to engage the people and mobilise support for our candidate,” Namayanja said.
She thanked party leaders for embracing the NRM’s village-based mobilisation strategy, which she said had enabled leaders to directly interact with communities and appreciate their concerns.
“We want to thank all the NRM leaders in Kalangala for the unity and teamwork that has characterised this campaign. Through our village-based mobilisation strategy, we have witnessed overwhelming support from the people who appreciate the work the NRM government continues to do,” she said.
Namayanja said many residents had testified to the development initiatives championed by Nabayiga during her previous tenure as Woman MP, including securing bursaries, boreholes and skilling programmes.
“The people themselves have been sharing testimonies about what Hon. Nabayiga was able to achieve for them. They believe she can continue to connect them to the national government and ensure that key development programmes reach their communities,” she said.
She added that the NRM remains committed to working with leaders who can effectively partner with government to implement the party manifesto and accelerate socio-economic transformation.
“We want leaders who can work closely with government to implement manifesto commitments and deliver services to the people. That is why we are confident that Hon. Nabayiga remains the right choice for the people of Kalangala,” Namayanja added.
The Deputy Secretary General also commended the Police, UPDF, Prisons and other security agencies for maintaining peace and stability throughout the campaign period, noting that no major incidents had been registered since campaigns began.
The rally was attended by NRM top leadership, including CEC members Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, Vice Chairperson for Buganda and PWDs representative Shafik Mwanje, EC chairman Tanga Odoi, Commissioners Jane Alisemera Babiiha, James Williams Kinobe, Director Mobilisation Emmanuel Dombo, his Deputy Rogers Mulindwa, Ministers Katumba Wamala, Judith Nabakooba, and Robert Migadde among others.
