Written By | Jovita Hasto
President Museveni arrived in Ibanda at around 4:30 p.m. after campaigning in Buhweju and addressed thousands of people at 5:00 p.m.
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Ibanda
President Museveni has promised to construct a coffee factory for the people of Ibanda and improve the road network in the area to boost agriculture during his campaign visit at St. George’s Demonstration Playground, where supporters from all the villages in Ibanda had converged. He arrived at around 4:30 p.m. after campaigning in Buhweju and addressed thousands of people at 5:00 p.m., following a brief message from the district NRM Chairperson, Ms. Joveline Kaliisa, who is also the NRM flagbearer for the Ibanda Woman Member of Parliament seat.
Ms. Kaliisa asked the President to improve the road network in the area and ease access from Ibanda to Kasese, requesting a ferry to facilitate cattle transportation and boost trade between the two regions and Congo as well.
“Our traders who sell cattle in Kasese find it tiresome to travel through Fort Portal, and when we try to make a shortcut to Kasese, there is Lake George. If you could put a ferry, traders in Ibanda would find it easier to access trading with Kasese and Congo. Mzee, we request you to improve roads that are not tarmacked, especially from Atano na Munana to Kanyarugiri, Kabamba, and Mubende, to boost trade. We want to continue with the work in progress if the road network is improved,” she said.
Ms. Kaliisa explained to the President that most families in Ibanda have transitioned from subsistence farming to the money economy, noting that many households have benefited from coffee seedlings supplied under the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Operation Wealth Creation.
She stated that Ibanda’s agriculture sector, through coffee production, has transformed, generating Shs 78 billion, but still faces production challenges. She therefore requested coffee driers to boost farmers’ productivity.
“In the agriculture sector, as you have encouraged, we are known to be coffee growers. In Ibanda, there are 28,062 hectares of coffee plantations. These produce 14,381 tonnes annually, generating Shs 78 billion in revenue. However, the people of Ibanda have a gap—we need coffee driers and hullers to boost production for socio-economic transformation,” she said.
Ms. Kaliisa appreciated the President for the Parish Development Model, which she said has combated poverty across the country and increased household incomes through piggery and agriculture.
While addressing supporters who converged in Kagongo Division, President Museveni advised the people to work hard and stop expecting all jobs to come from the government sector, encouraging them instead to seek opportunities in the private sector.
He reminded them of the seven pillars of the NRM, which the government has relied on for 40 years to ensure social, political, and economic development, urging them to continue supporting the party for the peace it has delivered.
“Ibanda people know that those who wanted to distort your peace came from Kamwenge, and NRM brought it back. When they ask you why you support NRM, say it is because of peace and development—economic infrastructure such as electricity, roads, water, communication, railway, and technology,” he said.
He emphasized that development must be channelled towards household income, noting that those with small pieces of land can use the four-acre model if they have the space to combat poverty.
President Museveni reminded the people of Ibanda about the roads that are scheduled for construction, saying he does not want potholes simply covered, as has been done along the Ishaka–Bushenyi road. He assured the people that the roads they requested would be worked on.
“We constructed Nyakahita–Rushere–Fort Portal. We are left with clearing the debt for Batagwenda, which includes the road from Ibanda, Kagongo, Kabujogera to Kamwenge. Other roads you requested will come from Nyamareebe to Kyegegwa. The Ibanda–Kitagwenda road shall be worked on,” he said.
The Ibanda–Kitagwenda road construction is scheduled to begin in February 2026.
To ease trade between Ibanda and Kasese, the President also promised to put a ferry on Lake George and construct a coffee factory for farmers in Ibanda.
“We shall put a ferry on Lake George to create a shortcut to Masyoro. All these are part of infrastructure. You also requested a coffee drier, and I am going to look for it. We shall continue to send you PDM funds, and I want them to bring more coffee and fruit seedlings for free because many people have been growing pigs, turkeys, sheep, and doing what they want,” he said as the crowd applauded.
Torch Media Africa
