NATIONAL — Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and the Minister of Local Government in Uganda’s cabinet and PLU Vice Chairman for Western Uganda, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, have lauded Tugume Boniface for his pivotal role in introducing and entrenching PLU in Bushenyi District.
In messages posted on their official X platforms, Gen. Muhoozi and Hon. Balaam appreciated Hon. Tugume Boniface for laying a strong foundation for PLU in Greater Bushenyi at a time when the movement is seeking at least 20 million signatures from Ugandans to endorse its Chairman, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for the presidency in 2031 and beyond.
X messages from General Muhoozi and Minister Balaam.
The appreciation traces back to 1st June 2024, when Tugume, then Igara West parliamentary hopeful for the 2026 elections, through the Tugume Foundation, rolled out a major empowerment drive worth 380 million shillings across the seven sub-counties of Igara West Constituency. The drive, which was supported by PLU, was also used to officially introduce PLU in Bushenyi District.
The colourful function, held at Kizinda Playground in Kizinda-Kigoma Town Council, Ankole Sub-region, was presided over by Hon. Balaam Barugahara as the representative of PLU and attracted a mammoth crowd from across Greater Bushenyi.
The cheering crowd.
Under the PLU-supported initiative, each sub-county received welding machines and brick-making machines, while tents, chairs and a vehicle for constituency transport were also handed over to boost local economic activity. Tugume further announced vocational scholarships for students who scored Grade One and Grade Two to enable them to acquire practical skills.
In his speech, Minister Balaam, who was chief guest, commended the initiative as a true reflection of PLU’s ideology of mindset change and practical empowerment, and urged residents to plant trees, avoid risky sexual behaviour and keep girls in school.
According to PLU leaders, the 2024 Kizinda intervention marked a turning point for PLU mobilization in Bushenyi, creating a grassroots structure that has sustained the movement to date. It is on this basis that Gen. Muhoozi and Hon. Balaam say Tugume Boniface deserves recognition for his early commitment and sacrifice, even after controversially losing the Igara West race to Hon. Amanya Cohen Kyampene.
PLU leaders say the Bushenyi model championed by Tugume demonstrates how empowerment and ideology can be combined to build a lasting political base.
Minister Balaam with Bushenyi Leaders including Hon Katusiime Annet Mugisha and aspirant Tugume Boniface.
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