KALIRO, Eastern Uganda – Uganda’s opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has pledged sweeping reforms in education, healthcare, and welfare as he campaigns in the Busoga sub-region, a key battleground ahead of the 2026 elections.
Speaking to thousands of supporters in Kaliro, the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader said his government would prioritize free education, better pay for security personnel, improved hospitals, and gender equality.
“We have won in Busoga soundly before, and I have no doubt that we shall do it again,” Bobi Wine told the crowd. “But I am here so that you understand what you are voting for – free education, higher pay for security officers, quality hospitals, and gender equality.”
His wife, Barbie Kyagulanyi, added an emotional appeal, urging voters to back her husband’s vision for eastern Uganda. “I came to ask you to support Bobi Wine because he is committed to transforming your lives,” she said. “I want you to vote for him to improve healthcare and education so your children can excel and prosper like Kadaga.”
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School Feeding Program
Central to NUP’s manifesto is a Home-Grown School Feeding Program targeting public primary schools. The plan, developed in collaboration with Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) and district Community Development Offices, would supply hot meals sourced from local smallholder farmers.
The initiative seeks to combat hunger among learners, which often undermines concentration, reduces enrollment, and fuels school dropout rates. “Hungry learners cannot learn effectively,” the manifesto states. “Providing hot meals will not only enhance the classroom experience but also improve completion rates and build stronger human capital.”
The program also promises economic benefits by stabilizing food markets, empowering women-led small businesses, and strengthening rural economies. It is designed as an inter-sectoral initiative linking education, agriculture, health, trade, and rural development.
Busoga: A Battleground
Busoga has long been considered an opposition stronghold, and Kyagulanyi is seeking to consolidate this support by making education and healthcare the pillars of his campaign. By linking promises of free schooling to practical measures such as feeding programs, he aims to resonate with rural communities grappling with poverty and malnutrition.
The region also carries symbolic weight. Barbie Kyagulanyi invoked the legacy of Rebecca Kadaga, the former Speaker of Parliament from Busoga, as proof of how quality education can elevate local children into positions of national leadership.
As Uganda edges closer to the 2026 elections, Bobi Wine is betting that a campaign message centered on education, health, and equality will not only secure Busoga for the opposition but also broaden his appeal nationwide.
