SHS300M DEVELOPMENT ROW! Sheema NRM Boss Questions Kamuntu’s Priorities After Museveni Visit
Muhangi says Sheema South missed golden opportunity to fight poverty through dairy farming, digital education and clean water projects
By Evans Najuna
SHEEMA — Sheema District NRM Chairman Richard Muhangi has questioned Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu’s handling of resources mobilised during his recent Thanksgiving celebration, arguing that the occasion presented a golden opportunity to launch development programmes aimed at fighting poverty in Sheema South.
In a letter addressed to Kamuntu, who represents Sheema South in Parliament and serves as Minister of Internal Affairs, Muhangi said the October 24, 2026 visit by President Yoweri Museveni should have been used to secure practical interventions in dairy farming, education and access to clean water.
Kamuntu hosted Museveni during a Thanksgiving celebration organised to appreciate the people of Sheema South for entrusting him with their mandate.
While congratulating the minister for successfully hosting the President, Muhangi described the visit as a significant political achievement but argued that more could have been done to translate the high-profile occasion into tangible benefits for ordinary households.
“While you successfully brought the President to your constituency, I feel there was an opportunity to use his presence to secure a practical programme that would help rescue our people from poverty,” Muhangi wrote.
SHS300M PASTURE PLAN MISSED?
Muhangi argued that the resources associated with the celebration could have been channeled into a structured pasture development programme to address challenges facing dairy farmers in the district.
He cited what he described as the Rwezamino challenge, which Kamuntu had reportedly identified as one of the factors hindering dairy farming in Sheema and contributing to persistent poverty.
According to Muhangi, the President’s earlier remarks on the matter presented an opportunity for local leaders to demonstrate their commitment to tackling the problem through practical interventions.
He proposed that farmers already growing pasture be identified and supported through the distribution of Brachiaria grass seeds, with demonstration plots established across villages to provide planting materials and practical lessons to other farmers.
Muhangi estimated that Sheema District has approximately 58,000 households, with about 35% located in Sheema South.
He argued that a portion of the resources could have supported a phased programme reaching approximately 240 villages, enabling farmers to improve pasture production and strengthen dairy farming.
The NRM district chairman said such an initiative would have demonstrated that leaders were translating the President’s messages into measurable community development programmes.
KAMUNTU CHALLENGED ON SHS300M CATHEDRAL CONTRIBUTION
In one of the strongest passages of his letter, Muhangi questioned whether directing more than Shs300m in proceeds from the people of Sheema South and the President towards Bweranyangi Cathedral was the most strategic development priority for the occasion.
He, however, clarified that his criticism was not directed at the Church but at what he considers a missed opportunity to address pressing social and economic needs.
“I fully recognise the importance of the Church and the valuable role it plays in our society. My concern is not about supporting the Church; rather, it is about ensuring that such a significant opportunity also addresses the pressing social and economic needs of the people who elected us,” he wrote.
Muhangi argued that the celebrations could have provided seed capital for community projects with direct and measurable benefits for ordinary voters, parents, pupils and households.
He challenged leaders to assess the success of such occasions not only by the dignitaries hosted or the money collected but also by the lasting impact on the communities they represent.
WANTS COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOLS
Muhangi also proposed that the Thanksgiving proceeds could have been invested in an education programme targeting selected primary and secondary schools in Sheema South.
He suggested establishing computer laboratories, particularly in schools managed by church foundation bodies, to equip pupils with computer literacy, digital skills and introductory knowledge of artificial intelligence.
According to him, children in Sheema South deserve opportunities to acquire foundational digital skills comparable to those available to learners in developed countries.
He said the proposed intervention would benefit pupils through improved access to technology, help schools strengthen their learning facilities and enable parents to have greater confidence in the quality of education their children receive.
Muhangi further argued that the initiative could have created a lasting educational legacy for Kamuntu, benefiting generations long after the Thanksgiving celebrations.
The NRM chairman also pointed to Kamuntu’s position on the council of Ankole Western University, saying the presidential visit could have provided an opportunity to mobilise support for a specific university development project.
Such an intervention, he argued, would have strengthened higher education and demonstrated a commitment to investing in the future of the region.
WATER CRISIS ON THE RADAR
The NRM district chairman identified access to clean and safe water as another area where the constituency could have benefited from a structured development programme.
He proposed that leaders identify underserved villages, prioritise vulnerable households and develop a phased plan for expanding water infrastructure.
Depending on local conditions, Muhangi said the initiative could involve extending existing water networks, laying pipes, establishing community water points and supporting household connections.
He argued that a programme launched by the President could attract the participation of government agencies, local leaders, development partners and communities.
According to Muhangi, the ultimate objective should be to move beyond a one-day celebration and establish a sustainable programme that progressively improves access to reliable and safe water.
‘WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR OUR PEOPLE?’
Muhangi anchored his criticism in a question he said Kamuntu frequently poses when addressing community issues: “Kuntarashomire kuninshaki?”—which he interpreted as a call to reflect on what leaders have done for their people.
He recalled Kamuntu posing the same question to Sir Richard Kaijuka during the burial of the late Naome Rwampororo.
Muhangi said the question captures the central responsibility of leadership: ensuring that political office and public support translate into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
He argued that NRM leaders have a responsibility to ensure that political mobilisation produces tangible development outcomes, particularly in communities where poverty, limited educational opportunities and inadequate infrastructure remain concerns.
“Imagine a programme launched by the President that begins in Sheema South and progressively reaches every village and household,” Muhangi wrote, proposing interventions in modern dairy farming, digital education and clean water.
He said such a programme would give residents concrete development targets against which they could assess their leaders.
Muhangi concluded by congratulating Kamuntu on hosting the President but urged leaders to reflect on how similar opportunities could be used more strategically in future.
He expressed optimism that Sheema South could become a model constituency for community development through modern dairy farming, education, digital transformation and improved access to clean water.
The letter was framed as constructive engagement aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening the NRM’s development agenda in Sheema District.
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