Mbarara Residents Celebrate Museveni’s Seventh Term, Demand Better Health Services and Jobs

NRM supporters in Mbarara marked President Museveni’s swearing-in with colourful processions while urging government to prioritise healthcare, industrialisation, and youth economic empowerment during the new term.

As President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni officially took oath for his seventh term at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Tuesday, residents and supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Mbarara District held jubilant celebrations marked by processions, music, and renewed calls for improved service delivery.

Supporters from the town councils of Bwizibwera, Rutooma, and Rubindi organized large processions through trading centres to celebrate the President’s inauguration, bringing parts of the district to a temporary standstill.

Led by a brass band that set the pace for the celebrations, hundreds of residents marched through the streets chanting pro-government slogans, waving NRM flags, and ululating in a show of political solidarity and excitement.

The celebrations were dominated by yellow attire and posters of President Museveni as supporters praised the ruling party for maintaining peace, security, and political stability, which they said had created an environment for development across the Ankole sub-region over the last four decades.

However, amid the celebrations, residents also used the occasion to present key priorities they want government to address during Museveni’s new five-year term.

One of the major concerns raised by residents was the need to upgrade Bwizibwera Health Center IV into a fully-fledged General Hospital to improve healthcare services in the area.

Currently, the health facility serves a large population, including patients from neighbouring Buhweju District, but residents say it continues to struggle with drug shortages, inadequate bed capacity, and limited specialised services.

“We are happy for Mzee’s victory, but our prayer is that Bwizibwera Health Center IV is upgraded. We need better specialized care and more health workers to match the growing population,” one resident said during the Rubindi procession.

Residents also appealed to government to prioritise industrialisation and job creation, especially for unemployed youth in Kashari North and surrounding areas.

Deus Mugisha, the Administrative Secretary for NRM in Mbarara District, urged government to establish more industries capable of absorbing the growing number of jobless young people.

“The government should also establish local industries to absorb the growing number of unemployed youth in Kashari North. The Parish Development Model (PDM) and other poverty alleviation programs need to be refined to ensure funds reach the intended grassroots beneficiaries without bureaucratic delays,” Mugisha said.

The celebrations reflected what many residents described as cautious optimism as Museveni begins another term under the slogan “Kisanja: No More Sleep.”

While supporters reaffirmed their loyalty to the President and the NRM government, many said they now expect tangible improvements in healthcare, infrastructure, wealth creation, and economic empowerment.

With the swearing-in ceremony concluded, attention in Mbarara now shifts to the implementation of the government’s 2026–2031 manifesto, as residents wait to see whether their local priorities will receive greater attention under Museveni’s new administration.