Written by: Badr Ahmed

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni called on residents of Kalangala district to vote for National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Ida Nabayija in the by-election scheduled for Wednesday to choose a female representative in parliament, stressing that having a deputy from the ruling party would help the government address the chronic challenges facing the district, foremost among them problems with transportation, the fishing sector and infrastructure.

Museveni urges Kalangala residents to vote for the National Resistance Movement candidate.

The president's remarks came during a large public gathering held on Monday in the grounds of Kibanga Primary School in Kalangala, where he stressed that achieving the development agenda in the island region requires political leaders who work in close coordination with the central government.

Addressing the audience, Museveni said: "Kalangala has a problem; you gave your votes to the opposition. I don't know your parliamentary representative, so who will convey your issues to the government? Because I don't communicate with the opposition." .

The Ugandan president pointed out that the government is seeking to implement a number of development projects that would improve the level of public services and enhance economic growth opportunities in the region, but the success of these efforts, he said, depends on the presence of elected representatives who embrace cooperation with the government and contribute to conveying the needs and demands of citizens to the relevant authorities.

The Kalangala region, located in the islands of Lake Victoria, faces recurring challenges related to transportation and maritime connectivity, as well as issues concerning the fishing industry, which is a primary source of income for a large segment of the population. The region also experiences ongoing demands for improved infrastructure and basic services to support local development.

Museveni's remarks come amid an intense campaign ahead of the by-elections, as the ruling party seeks to bolster its parliamentary presence by supporting its official candidate. The voting process is expected to be a close contest between candidates from the ruling party and the opposition, reflecting widespread public interest in the future of development and service projects that directly impact their daily lives.

Observers believe that the election results may play an important role in determining the nature of the relationship between the region and the central government in the next phase, especially with regard to the implementation of development projects and responding to the demands of the population.