By Frank Kamuntu
Political leaders in Rakai District have praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his long-standing leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS, crediting his early interventions with saving lives and transforming a region that was once at the epicentre of the epidemic in Uganda.
The commendations were made on Thursday during a campaign rally at Kibale Grounds in Rakai District, where senior National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders reflected on the country’s journey in combating HIV/AIDS and the progress made under Museveni’s leadership.
The Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, said Rakai holds a special place in Uganda’s public health history and acknowledged the President’s decisive role in steering the nation from despair to hope.
“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. She commended Museveni for prioritising funding for HIV prevention, treatment and public awareness at a time when stigma and fear threatened to overwhelm communities.
Among noted that sustained government investment in antiretroviral treatment, public education and health infrastructure had significantly reduced HIV-related deaths and improved the quality of life for thousands of families. She also praised the President for championing infrastructure development in the region, citing the Masaka–Mutukula road as a key project that has enhanced access to health services while boosting trade and economic activity.
Rakai NRM District Chairperson Gyaviira Ssemwanga said Museveni’s early decision to speak openly about HIV/AIDS helped change public attitudes and mobilised communities to confront the disease.
“When the President talked openly about AIDS and put in place strong interventions, people began to live,” Ssemwanga said. “Today, many families in Rakai are alive because of that leadership.”
Addressing the rally, President Museveni said the fight against HIV/AIDS required honesty, discipline and continuous public education. He reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening health services, expanding access to treatment and supporting prevention programmes, particularly in high-risk communities.
Museveni noted that Rakai District, which includes major fishing communities around lakes Kakyera and Kijanibarora, remains a priority area for targeted health interventions due to its vulnerability to higher infection rates.
The rally was attended by several NRM leaders, including the party’s Vice Chairperson for the Buganda Region, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, as well as local leaders and supporters. The event formed part of Museveni’s campaign tour of the Greater Masaka sub-region as he seeks to retain the NRM presidential flag ahead of the 2026 general elections.
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