President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, has announced plans to establish a cocoa-processing factory in Bundibugyo District.
Speaking to supporters at Bumadu Primary School Playground, he explained that earlier attempts to attract American investors failed after they claimed Uganda lacked basic inputs like milk and sugar. Museveni said he demonstrated that the country had these resources in plenty and concluded the investors were not serious. He now says a committed investor has been identified to take on the project.
The President told residents that border communities understand the value of peace better than most, noting that conversations with their Congolese neighbors reveal the human and economic toll of conflict. He recalled that Uganda once faced similar instability but credited the NRM government for restoring order and creating the foundation for progress.
Museveni further highlighted the development agenda his government has pursued, especially investment in economic and social infrastructure. He recounted how the road from Kampala to Fort Portal was first built through barter arrangements, trading local produce for construction.
That route was later extended to Bundibugyo and Lamia on the DRC border. He acknowledged that the stretch from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo has since deteriorated and assured residents that repairs are planned, though he cautioned that competing priorities sometimes slow implementation.
The President pointed to education facilities in the district more than 100 government primary schools and over 10 secondary schools saying the long-term goal remains a primary school in every parish and a secondary school in each sub-county.
In health, he promised renovation of the government facility in the area and emphasized the importance of disease prevention. He noted that his ability to travel extensively during campaigns without falling ill showed the value of good health practices, and urged young people to focus on immunization, hygiene, clean water, and responsible living. Uganda’s success in eliminating diseases such as polio, he said, has contributed to significant population growth.
Museveni also raised concerns over stolen medicines and urged communities to hold leaders accountable when public resources go missing. He reminded residents that politics should serve the public interest rather than tribal or religious loyalties and encouraged voters to demand performance from their elected representatives.
Reflecting on past visits to Bundibugyo, he noted that even during turbulent times in the 1990s, many households had already built wealth through cocoa, coffee, and palm oil. He reiterated the long-standing government message on wealth creation and referenced the four-acre model introduced in the 1990s to help families use land more efficiently for both food and commercial crops.
Museveni stressed that while wealth is generated by individuals and families, job creation grows out of that economic activity and he observed that Bundibugyo residents are already taking steps in that direction.