Vote me to upgrade health centres, roads - Museveni

  What you need to know: The NRM leader says he has been giving priority to other development sectors, adding that the most pressing is...

 

What you need to know:

• The NRM leader says he has been giving priority to other development sectors, adding that the most pressing issue is ensuring wealth in people’s homes.

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President Museveni has said all is on course to upgrade health centres and key roads in Arua, Maracha and Koboko districts. While acknowledging the outstanding road projects such as the Manibe–Terego–Yumbe and Panyimur–Pakwach–Wadelai–Rhino Camp routes, he assured residents that the “debts will be cleared” once he is re-elected in the 2026 General Election.

He made the remarks while campaigning at Nyadri Urban Secondary School in Maracha District and Ombachi Primary School playground yesterday.

“We still have plans to work on the road from Manibe–Terego–Yumbe, just like we are now working on the Koboko–Yumbe–Moyo Road. We will also work on the road from Panyimur–Pakwach–Wadelai–Rhino Camp,” Mr Museveni told supporters.

The NRM leader also said the government had not worked on some of the roads earlier because priority had been given to other development sectors.

He further added that the most pressing issue is ensuring wealth creation in people’s homes, noting that “even with good roads, poverty will keep on knocking” unless families improve their incomes.

The road construction has been delayed due to funding challenges. The initial project timeline was set for February 2020, with the disclosure of the resettlement action plan, followed by a World Bank Board meeting in June 2020.

Mr Adinan Dina, a driver from Yumbe who has operated on the Manibe–Terego road for the past five years, said he has spent more than Shs3 million on car repairs due to the poor road conditions. “I have persevered in the business because I have responsibilities of paying school fees for my children, rent and medication bills,” he said.

“Sometimes you regret driving on this road for business. You wonder whether our taxes are translated into services such as good roads, which we have cried for long,” he added.

The road and bridges are mainly characterised by a bumpy surface, which becomes impassable whenever it rains. Some stretches are narrow, with large gullies in some sections.

In July 2020, the procurement of a contractor was initiated, and work was scheduled to start in July 2021. It was later earmarked to begin in August 2023, but construction has yet to commence.

Health sector

President Museveni said health centres such as Orivu Health Centre III will be upgraded to Health Centre IV, while Lazebu Health Centre II in Logiri Sub-county, Arua District, will be elevated to Health Centre III. He also pledged to upgrade health facilities in Ayivu East Division in Arua City and Maracha District.

In Koboko District, the President said the construction of the district hospital will soon be completed, and more health centres will be elevated.

His remarks followed a plea from the Koboko District NRM chairperson, Mr Samanya Draniga, who said: “We wish for the completion and functionality of Koboko Hospital because it has become expensive for people to be referred to Arua or Yumbe referral hospitals. We also need the upgrades of Ludara, Lobule and Ayipe health centres.”

Education sector

The President said: “In parishes where there are no government-aided primary schools, we shall construct one per parish in the next government. This is to create accessibility.” Throughout his campaigns, he urged supporters to embrace Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), saying the government still faces resistance in the implementation of these programmes. The Minister for Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, who also campaigned for her husband, said: “We need to build more schools and health centres because of the increasing population in Uganda. President Museveni wants to ensure that no child is left behind at home but gets educated.”

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