PRESIDENT MUSEVENI TASKS NRM MPS TO RETURN TO
GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP, EMBRACE BALAAM'S ANTI-
CORRUPTION APPROACH
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has challenged National
Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament to return to
grassroots methods of leadership, urging them to regularly engage
citizens, monitor government programmes and directly address
challenges affecting communities.
President Museveni, who is also the NRM National Chairperson,
made the remarks on Friday, October 2, 2026, while addressing
the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at the Kololo Independence
Grounds in Kampala.
The meeting was the fourth of the first session of the 12th
Parliament and was held as NRM MPs returned from a three-week
parliamentary recess.
President Museveni also cautioned the lawmakers against
corruption and urged them to embrace the grassroots approach to fighting the vice being championed by the Minister for Local
Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara.
He said Hon. Balaam's approach was practical and not expensive,
citing it as one of the earlier methods that helped the NRM build
its support among citizens.
“Some people miscalculated, but slowly we have taken the role in
fighting corruption in the army and now we are beginning to wake
up. Hon. Balaam is implementing what I have been talking about
all the time,” President Museveni said.
The President said the NRM gained the confidence of the people
because its leaders were directly involved in addressing problems
at community level.
“What Balaam and Nameere are doing; they are fighting corrupt
people. That is why I put them into the local government. We
fought corruption in the army and now the vice has been in the
villages,” he said.
He urged MPs to organise barazas and other grassroots
engagements in their constituencies instead of relying on highly
organised events that, he said, could create a disconnect between
leaders and citizens.
“I appeal to you to interact with the people directly. You will see, it
will be easy to solve people's problems easily. This business of
bringing food, water and musicians to sing, it is because you have
detached from the people. But deal with the problems. So please
go back to the work methods of the NRM,” he said He recalled the 1996 elections, saying he almost missed the
nomination deadline after being delayed in Nakasero and
eventually had to use a boda boda with his wife to beat the 5pm
deadline.
MPs tasked to monitor PDM:
On wealth creation, President Museveni tasked MPs with closely
monitoring the Parish Development Model (PDM) in their
constituencies to ensure that intended beneficiaries receive the
funds meant to help them enter the money economy.
“On the issue of PDM, check your areas. Check the families which
have got the PDM money and those that haven't gotten so that we
cover the 33% of the people that are not yet in the money
economy,” he said.
He urged MPs to ensure that the Shs1 million PDM revolving fund
reaches the intended beneficiaries and to spend more time in their
constituencies monitoring its impact.
“You as leaders make sure that this one million shillings reaches
the people. Inspect that. That is your work as MPs. Spend more
time in your constituency checking how your people are getting
out of poverty,” he added.
On insecurity in the Greater Ankole region and neighbouring
areas, President Museveni directed the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and security agencies to investigate and address reported cases of
killings and theft.