Museveni was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

By Umaru Kashaka, Godfrey Ojore and Michael Onyinge

President Yoweri Museveni has told the people of the two neighbouring eastern districts of Kaberamaido and Kalaki to expect a major tarmac road linking them to Soroti to be constructed anytime soon.

Museveni, who is seeking a seventh consecutive presidential term on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket in the 2026 general election, also promised a stable supply of electricity throughout the two districts.  

He was on Friday (October 31) addressing two different campaign rallies in  Kaberamaido and Kalaki.  

Museveni also mentioned the railway that is being worked on from Tororo up to Kampala and Soroti to Lira. “We are going to take it (the railway) up to Pakwach and the Standard Gauge Railway from Tororo to Kampala." (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

His first campaign rally of the day was held at Kaburepoli Primary School in Ochero sub-county, Kaberamaido, and the second and final rally at Kalaki Primary School playground in Kalaki town council, Kalaki.

“The tarmac road used to end at Soroti. We repaired the road from Tororo up to Soroti and extended it to Dokolo, Lira and Kamdini from Kampala. That is to bring the tarmac road nearer to you, people, but now we are going to bring the tarmac from Katine (Soroti) up to here, Ochero,” he said in Kaberamaido.

Museveni said the money for the Katine-Ochero Road, which is 73.5 kilometres long, is already available and the works and transport ministry is only looking for a contractor to do the work.

“We already have the money; the Government is now looking for the contractor to do the work"

When the NRM presidential flagbearer moved on to Kalaki, which was carved out of Kaberamaido in July 2019, he made similar remarks.

He said he was also looking for the money to tarmac the Ochero-Amolatar-Namasale Road and the one from Amolatar to Dokolo. 

“We have not got that money yet but we shall look for it,” Museveni promised thousands of his supporters, adding that other roads in the Teso sub-region will be worked on later.

He said that Kalaki is one of the new districts and, therefore, does not have a complete road unit, which he promised to fulfill.

Museveni also mentioned the railway that is being worked on from Tororo up to Kampala and Soroti to Lira. “We are going to take it (the railway) up to Pakwach and the Standard Gauge Railway from Tororo to Kampala."

End power outages

At both rallies, the President heard that electricity is unstable and promised to look into the matter.

“The electricity, you have it now, but you say it is on and off. I will find out what the problem is because we have got enough electricity in the country now. The problem could be the old wires which need to be replaced but that one is already moving."

The issues of paved roads and unstable electricity were raised by the ruling party district chairpersons before the President addressed the rallies. 

He was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.