RAKAI, Uganda — Political leaders in Rakai District have lauded President Yoweri Museveni for his transformative role in the battle against HIV/AIDS, credited with shifting the region from a site of epidemic despair to a beacon of survival and recovery.
During a large-scale campaign rally at Kibale Grounds, senior officials highlighted the President’s early intervention during the 1980s and 1990s as the cornerstone of Uganda’s globally recognized success in public health.
The Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson, Anita Annet Among, emphasized that Rakai’s history is inextricably linked to the HIV narrative in Uganda.
She noted that Museveni’s willingness to confront the crisis at its peak broke the silence that once fueled stigma and death.
“We want the people of Rakai and Uganda by extension to understand where we came from, where we are and where we are going in the fight against HIV,” Among said.
Speaker Among further noted that the President’s prioritization of funding for treatment and prevention has not only saved lives but restored the social fabric of affected families.
She also linked the region’s health successes to infrastructure, specifically praising the Masaka–Mutukula road for facilitating medical access and regional trade.
Breaking the Silence
Rakai NRM District Chairperson Gyaviira Ssemwanga echoed these sentiments, pointing to Museveni’s “honesty” as a primary life-saving tool.
By speaking openly about the disease when others would not, the President shifted public attitudes toward prevention and care.
“When the President talked openly about AIDS and put in place strong interventions, people began to live. Today, many families in Rakai are alive because of that leadership,” Ssemwanga said.
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Addressing the massive crowd, President Museveni reaffirmed that the struggle is far from over. He stressed that the next phase of the fight requires “honesty, discipline, and continuous public education.”
The President identified specific areas requiring intensified focus, particularly the fishing communities surrounding; Lake Kakyera and Lake Kijanibarora
He assured residents that the government would continue to expand access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and strengthen prevention programs in these high-risk zones.
The 2026 road ahead
The rally was a major stop in Museveni’s ongoing tour of the Greater Masaka sub-region as he prepares for the 2026 general elections.
The event was attended by prominent NRM figures, including Buganda Region Vice Chairperson Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, signaling a unified party front in one of the country’s most historically significant political and health regions.
