Thousands of residents from Mbarara City and surrounding districts flocked to Booma Grounds on Monday to welcome President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during a spirited campaign rally. Speaking to the crowd, the President reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring full implementation of free education in all government schools.
The call comes after Mbarara District NRM Chairman, Prosper Tuhaise Kururagire, raised concerns that some government schools continue to charge tuition and other fees, preventing children from low-income families from accessing education.
President Museveni agreed with Kururagire, emphasizing that charging fees in UPE (Universal Primary Education) and USE (Universal Secondary Education) schools goes against the spirit of free education. He directed that starting with the 2026 school term, the policy must be fully enforced without exceptions.
“I am proud of my son, Prosper Kururagire, for supporting my directive on free education,” Museveni said. “In your next government, ensure this is implemented. Serving a child from a poor family is serving God. There is no loss in helping the vulnerable; they will, in turn, contribute to this nation.”Despite long-standing UPE and USE policies, many government schools still impose fees, forcing children from less privileged backgrounds to stay home.
Museveni’s renewed directive aims to remove these barriers, guaranteeing that every child has access to education regardless of family income.During his address, the President also urged citizens to move beyond subsistence living, highlighting the importance of self-employment, entrepreneurship, and active participation in the money economy. He reminded the public that the government cannot provide jobs for everyone.Presidential Advisor Peace Rugambwa echoed Museveni’s message, urging families to prioritize household prosperity as the foundation for broader economic growth. “Prosperity begins at home; as our households thrive, other opportunities will follow. We stand with President Museveni, trusting that Uganda will embrace the money economy fully within the next five years,” Rugambwa stated.
The rally reinforced a dual focus on social policy and economic empowerment, showcasing Museveni’s continued emphasis on education, self-reliance, and household-level prosperity as key pillars of his administration’s agenda across Uganda.
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