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President Yoweri Museveni has blamed the rapid expansion of ghettos in the capital, Kampala, and the hardships that people face therein, on poor leadership.
On Monday, the president chastised voters in Kampala and Central Uganda for orchestrating their own struggle by constantly electing opposition leaders who “don’t care about you.”
He singled out opposition former leaders of Kampala, like Nasser Ntege Ssebagala, Ssebaana Kizito, and even the current NUP President Bobi Wine, who enjoys support in the city.
This, he said, was the reason most parts of Kampala remain heavily undeveloped, with limited intervention from the central government
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“The reason for all these ghettos and the problems you face in there is because you have been misled, because you have spent over 30 years in the opposition,” he said.
“You voted for the likes of Ssebagala, Ssebaana Kizito, now you have brought Bobi Wine. None of them cares about you. I therefore urge you this time to liberate yourselves and your area by getting leadership that cares about you.”
President Museveni addresses Gayaza residents
Lack of Accountability from Opposition MPs
Speaking at the launch of his Wealth Creation and PDM monitoring tour in Wakiso district, Museveni wondered why city dwellers continue to elect opposition MPs who “do not demand your share.”
“Here, you are praising Ddamulila and Kutesa. The question is, Ddamulila, coming here to look for you, what were your MPs doing? They are out there getting government salaries, and they never refuse to take them, but they cannot talk about government development programs,” he said.
“They never demand your share of government money. They never ask for accountability; the money comes and gets stolen in the process. They don’t care. Why then do you vote for them?”
He called on the city dwellers in the coming election to vote for representatives who can work closely with the government.
“I am in government, and I support you, but I am a bit far. You need an MP who is closer to you. Vote for MPs who care about you,” added Museveni.
The PDM monitoring tours form a central part of the President's strategy to assess wealth creation initiatives at the grassroots level. While these visits provide opportunities for direct engagement with beneficiaries, they have consistently generated criticism due to their severe impact on urban mobility.
These tours are a direct extension of the government's flagship Parish Development Model initiative, which aims to transition 39% of Uganda's population from subsistence to the money economy.
The PDM, launched in 2022, provides financial support directly to beneficiaries at the grassroots level, typically Shs 1 million per household, alongside training and access to markets.
The tours are designed for the President to personally assess the progress and impact of the PDM on the ground.
He interacts directly with beneficiaries, inspects ongoing community projects, and gathers grassroots feedback.