President Museveni urged residents of Gulu to convert the region’s long-standing peace into tangible household wealth.
Addressing the crowd at Kaunda Grounds on Wednesday, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer reflected on Acholi’s journey from decades of insurgency to stability, calling peace the foundation for the region’s growing transformation.
“Peace didn’t come by luck. We built strong institutions like the army and maintained political unity. That’s why Uganda is stable today,” Museveni said, emphasizing that development thrives only where peace endures.
The President highlighted massive infrastructure and service delivery achievements in the Acholi sub-region — from tarmacked roads like Kampala–Gulu, Karuma–West Nile, and Gulu–Nimule, to expanded electricity, water, and hospital networks. He described these as “economic arteries” fueling regional growth.
But his message focused on wealth creation. Museveni urged citizens to shift from subsistence to commercial farming and fully tap into government programs such as NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, and the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“Our people work hard, but the methods are outdated. Use your land to produce for the market — not just for food,” he said. He revealed plans to intensify livestock restocking and fish farming in Acholi, Lango, and Teso, reaffirming the government’s goal of supporting every homestead with at least five cows.
Museveni also challenged the youth to look beyond government employment. “Only 480,000 jobs are in government. But factories employ over 1.3 million people. Real opportunities lie in agriculture, industry, and business,” he said.
He underscored the importance of East African regional markets, noting Uganda’s surplus in production. “We produce more maize, milk, cement, and beer than we consume. Without regional integration, these industries would collapse,” Museveni warned.
Gulu City NRM Chairperson, Gifter Aber, lauded the President’s leadership and commitment to inclusive development. She cited improvements in education, health, and youth empowerment — including Gulu’s upgraded referral hospital, expanded school network, and the Presidential Skilling Hub that continues to train hundreds of young people.
Aber revealed that through the Parish Development Model, over Shs 24 billion has been disbursed to 23,000 households, while 54 Emyooga SACCOs are supporting more than 41,000 members across Gulu.
Held under the theme “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status,” the rally drew NRM Central Executive Committee members, MPs, religious and cultural leaders, and residents from across Acholi.
President Museveni closed his address with a call for unity and continuity. “We achieved peace, we are building development — now it’s time to create wealth. Let’s move together toward socio-economic transformation,” he said, to roaring cheers from the crowd.