RUKUNGIRI, UGANDA – The Senior Presidential Advisor on Agriculture, Peace Rugambwa, has announced government plans to roll out poverty eradication funds directly to villages to benefit underserved grassroots communities.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The announcement was delivered on Monday at the New Palm Hotel in Rukungiri District during the launch of the “Team Peace” door-to-door mobilization campaigns for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Western Uganda.
Addressing a charged crowd of party members and a notable wave of new converts from opposition parties, Rugambwa provided a candid assessment of current government efforts.
She acknowledged that while the Parish Development Model (PDM) was a critical step, it has not yet fully reached the most economically vulnerable households.
“The government introduced the current Parish Development Model at the parish level, but it has not yet reached the real grassroots, poverty-stricken people,” Rugambwa stated.
Rugambwa confirmed that under her appointment as a presidential advisor, she is prioritizing reaching struggling local communities, signaling a strategic shift to ensure poverty funds finally reach the smallest villages for real impact.
The event marked a major political shift, with about 1,000 opposition members joining the NRM and pledging full support for President Yoweri Museveni and all party candidates in the coming elections.
Prominent among the defectors were Niwagaba Patrick (formerly of the People’s Front for Freedom – PFF, Nyakatunguru Cell), Orishaba Shallon (PFF, Karyamucumu Cell), and Njunoha Benon (Forum for Democratic Change – FDC, Nyakatunguru Cell), all from Kikongi Parish, Bwambara Sub-County.
The new NRM members expressed disillusionment with opposition politics, stating their areas saw no progress and were falling behind, and they pledged to support government projects to help their communities.
“Our stand in opposition yielded no dividends for our communities; instead, we witnessed only stagnation and regression. Now, we are united in our commitment to actively support and engage with government initiatives that bring tangible progress to our local areas,” stated the new converts.
The event was attended by a host of NRM leaders and flag bearers, underscoring the party’s concerted push for mobilization in the region.
Dignitaries included Hon. Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde (NRM Flag Bearer, Rukungiri Municipality), Hon. Mary Paula Turyahikayo (Woman MP, Rukungiri District), and Hon. Mathias Rwabugumi (MP, Rubabo County), among others from various leadership levels.
The government’s promise of village-level funds, coupled with the defection of hundreds of opposition supporters, sets the stage for a highly energized campaign season in Rukungiri and beyond.
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