President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed shock and frustration over what he described as an “illogical and unacceptable” distribution of government primary and secondary schools in Busoga, saying the imbalance is denying children equal access to education.
While campaigning in Kaliro District on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, President Museveni, who is also the NRM presidential flag bearer, said he was surprised to learn that several parishes in Busoga still have no government primary school, despite a clear national policy requiring at least one in every parish. He said he had personally reviewed school distribution data for both Kaliro and Bugweri districts and found major discrepancies.
In Kaliro District, the President was presented with figures showing the district has 89 government primary schools and 87 parishes. However, only 38 parishes have at least one government school, while 49 parishes have none. Museveni said this imbalance contradicts the government’s own education distribution policy and blamed district leaders for negligence and failure to enforce it. He warned leaders not to approve new schools in parishes that already have government schools when others are still underserved.
Earlier in Bugweri District, Museveni said he was equally troubled to learn that 11 out of 37 parishes have no government primary school at all, despite the district having 54 government-funded primary schools. He directed district officials to correct this pattern, adding that future allocation of education infrastructure would depend on strict compliance with national policy.
On secondary education, the President noted that Kaliro has nine government secondary schools offering USE and UPOLET, supported by 26 private schools. Even then, only eight out of the district’s 15 sub-counties have government secondary schools. He said the ongoing construction of four Seed Secondary Schools would reduce the underserved sub-counties from seven to three.
Museveni also criticized head teachers and administrators who continue sending children home for fees, including UPE and USE beneficiaries. He said such practices were sabotaging the government’s free education agenda, leading to many dropouts, especially in rural areas. He pointed to the Presidential Skilling Hub in Jinja as evidence that free education is possible, noting that trainees at the centre are already producing competitive products such as shoes, clothes, chairs and liquid soap.
The President used the rally to highlight NRM’s contributions to Uganda, including peace, unity, improved infrastructure, and industrialization. In Busoga, he said government plans to construct major roads such as Kamuli–Kagulu–Lyingo–Ilundu–Kaliro and another from Kamuli–Kaliro–Namwiwa–Buyuge to Pallisa. He also committed to extending electricity to the remaining sub-counties in Kaliro, including Namwiwa, Bulumba Town Council, Buyinda, Kisinda and Nawaikoke.
On health infrastructure, Museveni noted that five sub-counties in Kaliro still lack any health facility. He announced plans to upgrade Kaliro HCII to HCIII and construct new HCIIIs in Bulumba Town Council, Nansololo, Namwiwa and Nawaikoke. He said government would also work toward establishing a district hospital.
The President encouraged families to embrace the four-acre model as a path to household wealth, citing individuals in Busoga and other regions who have transformed their livelihoods through commercial farming, poultry, dairy and fish farming.
On allegations of irregularities in the NRM primaries in Kaliro, Museveni said he had tasked NRM 1st National Vice Chairperson Al-Hajj Moses Kigongo to handle the matter. He warned that any malpractice, including falsifying results or bribery, would attract criminal charges.
First Lady Janet Museveni praised the people of Kaliro for their turnout and urged them to continue supporting peace and development. Other NRM leaders, including Rebecca Kadaga and Al-Hajj Moses Kigongo, called for unity and stronger cooperation among Busoga leaders.
Kaliro NRM Chairperson Gagawala Wambuzi thanked the President for government programmes such as PDM, the Youth Fund and the Women Fund. He presented several district needs, including a district hospital, HCIIIs for underserved sub-counties, a new administration block, creation of Kaliro Municipality, revival of the Busoga Cooperative Union and compensation for Lakwena War victims. He also appealed for an end to the 5% deductions imposed on sugarcane farmers by millers.
