On September 18, 2025, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni called for peaceful dialogue and unity among Uganda’s political leaders as the nation gears up for the 2026 general elections. Speaking at the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) Summit at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Museveni emphasized the need to reject violence and divisive politics to ensure Uganda’s continued progress.

The summit, themed “Together for a Peaceful and Sustainable Uganda,” convened leaders from six political parties: the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Democratic Party (DP), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Justice Forum (JEEMA), and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). The event marked a pivotal moment for fostering unity and consensus ahead of the elections.

In his keynote address, President Museveni, who also serves as NRM National Chairman and outgoing IPOD Summit Chair, urged opposition leaders to embrace peaceful engagement. “As we have seen in the last 40 years, the NRM has revived Uganda’s economy. Even if one has a wrong understanding, as long as they are not violent, the country will remain stable, and mistakes can be corrected,” he said. He warned that misdiagnosing societal issues and resorting to violence leads to chaos, citing examples from other African nations.

Drawing from his 65 years in politics, Museveni likened political leadership to medicine, stressing the importance of accurately diagnosing societal challenges. “If leaders misdiagnose societal issues, their countries collapse,” he cautioned, reiterating NRM’s core principles of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation, and democracy as the foundation for Uganda’s future.

Addressing concerns raised by UPC President Jimmy Akena about the recent teachers’ strike, Museveni underscored the need to prioritize limited resources. He cited the example of Soroti Flying School, where prioritizing pilots and engineers over other staff prevented its collapse. “Freedom fighters always prioritize,” he noted.

A significant highlight of the summit was the peaceful handover of IPOD chairmanship from President Museveni to DP President General, Hon. Norbert Mao. “Thank you for trusting NRM with the leadership for the last five years. I now peacefully hand over,” Museveni said.

Hon. Mao, in his acceptance speech, committed to fostering consensus and ensuring a peaceful 2026 election. “We shall leave the door of IPOD open. Our agenda is to ensure a peaceful, free, and fair election process while addressing Uganda’s challenges honestly,” he said. Mao commended Museveni for releasing nearly 70 political detainees earlier this year, describing the gesture as a significant step toward reconciliation.

NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, praised Museveni for sustaining IPOD after international donors withdrew funding. “You have shown that homegrown solutions can address African challenges,” Todwong said, urging political parties to promote unity and democratic values.

UPC President Jimmy Akena reaffirmed his party’s commitment to dialogue, stating, “We may not agree on every policy, but we must focus on the greater good.” FDC President Patrick Oboi Amuriat called for meaningful dialogue and urged Museveni to pardon political prisoners to foster national reconciliation. “Progress requires leaving the past behind,” he said.

JEEMA President Asuman Basalirwa echoed the need for consensus, while PPP President Saddam Gayira highlighted the success of non-confrontational politics. “In 30 years, none of our members have been arrested because we preach peaceful engagement,” Gayira noted.

IPOD Executive Director Dr. Lawrence Sserwambala warned of challenges such as electoral violence and youth vulnerability, urging leaders to nurture young people as champions of peace. “The 2026 elections provide a critical opportunity to strengthen consensus, fairness, and inclusivity,” he said.

The summit saw attendance from key figures, including Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Among, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, and NRM’s Central Executive Committee members, signaling strong support for dialogue as a tool for democratic progress.

As Uganda approaches the 2026 elections, the IPOD Summit underscored the importance of unity, peaceful engagement, and consensus-building to secure a stable and prosperous future for the nation. “History will judge us by the choices we make. Let us choose peace and put Uganda first,” Dr. Sserwambala concluded.

On September 17, 2025, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni endorsed a comprehensive report on cattle compensation for the Teso sub-region, praising its recommendations as realistic, inclusive, and transformative. This announcement was made during a high-level meeting at State House in Entebbe, attended by a select committee led by Vice President Jessica Alupo, along with Members of Parliament, cultural leaders, and religious figures from Teso.

The report was presented by Hon. Okiror Bosco, the MP for Usuk County. It followed extensive consultations across Teso, prompted by concerns about corruption and inefficiencies in the ongoing cattle compensation program. Launched in March 2022 with a budget of UGX 200 billion, the initiative aims to compensate victims in Teso, Lango, and Acholi for livestock and property lost during past insurgencies and cattle raids.

The consultations confirmed President Museveni’s proposal for a uniform restocking plan that will provide five cows per household across Teso’s 12 districts, which are home to approximately 489,000 households according to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census. Hon. Okiror noted an alternative proposal that allows households to receive the cash equivalent of five cows, estimated at UGX 1.5 million to UGX 2 million per cow, enabling them to purchase livestock independently, with management at the sub-county level.

President Museveni expressed his support for the plan, emphasizing its potential to empower households while addressing challenges such as polygamous families. “For me, I would be comfortable with each male-headed unit, whether polygamous or not, first getting their share,” he said. “Once the cows multiply, those families will become agents of change, and the cows can then be shared.” He added that affordability would be managed through installments, with extended families considered later.

The President clarified that the districts of Butebo and Pallisa, which had petitioned for inclusion, would be addressed separately.

During the meeting, Museveni responded to concerns about the presence of Balaalo herders in Teso. “They should go. I solved this problem long ago,” he stated, stressing that herders must follow legal procedures to ensure harmony with local communities.

Vice President Alupo commended the consultation process, noting its comprehensive and incident-free execution. “All the people of Teso unanimously supported the restocking program for every household,” she said, adding that residents viewed it as part of broader government efforts to eradicate poverty. Cultural leaders, including His Highness Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot of the Iteso and Won Ateker Papa Kumam Raphael Otaya of the Kumam, praised Museveni for involving traditional institutions in national development and pledged continued collaboration.

The cattle compensation program is not a standard government initiative but a special measure to promote peace, reconciliation, and economic recovery in war-affected regions. Museveni’s endorsement of the report signals a commitment to addressing past grievances transparently and equitably. He noted that the previous compensation framework was inefficient and exclusionary, and the new plan aims to rectify these shortcomings.

The President also referenced his recent engagements in August 2025 across Teso, Lango, and Acholi, where he urged residents to select trustworthy representatives to finalize a new compensation framework. At a gathering in Lira’s Lango College grounds, he emphasized the need for reliable representation to resolve lingering issues. “I was recently in Soroti and heard the same concerns,” he remarked, addressing widespread dissatisfaction with middlemen and corruption in the current system.

Museveni announced that the report would be discussed in Cabinet, with further consultations planned to incorporate perspectives from Lango and Acholi. The meeting, attended by Attorney General Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka and other Teso leaders, underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring the program’s benefits reach all intended households fairly.

As Uganda moves forward with this transformative initiative, the uniform restocking plan promises to empower households in Teso, foster economic recovery, and strengthen community reconciliation in the region.

In a recent address to the nation, President Yoweri K. Museveni, the leader of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), discussed the party’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its organizational structure and reaffirm its ideological and strategic foundations. Speaking to fellow Ugandans and the “Bazzukulu” (grandchildren), the President highlighted the success of a nationwide exercise launched on May 6, 2025, to audit and update the NRM membership register. This initiative began with village conferences and culminated in two significant conferences held at Kololo, often referred to by Ugandans as “Namboole” due to its historical associations with past events held at the Namboole Stadium.

The membership audit, a massive undertaking, revealed the NRM’s enduring strength, with over 20 million registered members across the country, of whom 18.5 million are of voting age (18 years and older). In his home village of Rwakyitura, for instance, the President noted that the original register listed 350 members. However, after accounting for migrations, deaths, and other factors, the verified number stood at approximately 251. He emphasized that this exercise was a testament to the NRM’s commitment to grassroots engagement and organizational rigor.

President Museveni reiterated the NRM’s core ideology, which is anchored in four fundamental principles: patriotism (love for Uganda), Pan-Africanism (love for Africa), socio-economic transformation, and democracy. He explained that these principles prioritize the collective interests of Ugandans and Africans over divisive identities based on tribe or religion. “Why love Uganda, why love Africa, and why not only love your tribe or religious sect? Because you need them for your prosperity and strategic security, as well as for market and defense potential,” he stated. He added that the NRM’s politics is driven by interests rather than identity, welcoming anyone who subscribes to these values to join the movement.

A key issue raised during the National Executive Committee (NEC) conference was the debate over the status of old versus new NRM members, a topic brought up by Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga. The President firmly rejected any notion of prioritizing longevity of membership, citing both practical and ideological reasons. He recalled addressing this issue years ago, noting that legal checks confirmed that no minimum time requirement exists for members to qualify for party positions. Even if such a guideline were to exist, he argued, it would be misguided.

To illustrate his point, President Museveni drew on the biblical parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), where workers hired at different times of the day received equal wages. He likened the NRM to the vineyard owner, emphasizing that all members, whether long-standing or new, should be treated equally. “In the Kingdom of God, there are no young or old,” he quoted, underscoring that political parties must avoid creating hierarchies based on tenure. He warned that discriminating against or resenting new members could alienate potential allies, citing the Democratic Party’s (DP) missteps in 1980 as a cautionary tale. The DP’s failure to fully embrace new supporters, including former members of Kabaka Yekka and other factions, contributed to its political setbacks.

President Museveni also shared his own political journey to highlight the importance of inclusivity. A former DP member from 1960 to 1970, he joined the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) in 1970, distributing UPC cards in a DP stronghold. Despite his activism—mobilizing communities to abandon nomadism, founding the University Students African Revolutionary Front (USARF), and leading a student delegation to Mozambique’s liberated zones in 1968—the UPC failed to fully harness his contributions. This missed opportunity, he argued, underscores the need for political parties to recognize and integrate new talent without prejudice.

Drawing another biblical analogy, the President referenced St. Paul, a former persecutor of Christians who became a leading apostle after his conversion. Similarly, new NRM members, regardless of their past affiliations, should be embraced as equals, as they could bring significant value to the party’s mission.

President Museveni urged NRM members to focus on solving the people’s problems through government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, rather than engaging in internal rivalries. He warned that discriminating against newcomers could undermine the party’s strength and alienate supporters, potentially repeating the mistakes of past political movements. “In political parties, all members should be equal,” he emphasized, advocating for a unified approach to advance the NRM’s goals.

The President concluded by promising to address organizational issues, including the challenge of corruption, in a future address. For now, his message was clear: the NRM’s strength lies in its inclusivity, ideological clarity, and commitment to the prosperity and security of its members.