KYANKWANZI — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to reduce foreign travel and dedicate more time to grassroots engagement to accelerate rural transformation.

Speaking during a campfire session at the National Leadership Institute NALI in Kyankwanzi on Monday evening, Museveni emphasized that effective leadership begins with a deep understanding of constituents.

“You need to go household by household and know your people—how many are in the money economy and how many are still outside,” he said.

The president cautioned MPs against spending excessive time on parliamentary committees and overseas benchmarking trips, warning that such engagements often disconnect leaders from the communities they represent.

“If you benchmark too much outside, you disconnect yourself from your constituents,” Museveni noted, urging legislators to instead allocate several days each week to fieldwork.

He stressed that MPs should avoid incurring personal debts in the name of community support, advising them to rely on government programs to drive development.

“Do not use your money or go into debts. What I am telling you is what I did,” he said, reflecting on his early political mobilization efforts in the 1960s.

Museveni highlighted the importance of promoting practical economic activities suited to smallholder farmers, including coffee growing, fruit farming, dairy, poultry, piggery, and fish farming. He said proper guidance and consistent engagement can lift households into the money economy.

Drawing from his own experience, the president revealed that in his home area, about 1,700 out of 2,300 households have transitioned into income-generating activities due to sustained mobilization.

The president also reiterated the need for targeted interventions such as water infrastructure in arid regions like Karamoja, describing dams as critical for livestock-based livelihoods.

“Where leaders are actively involved, things move,” he said.

Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo thanked the president for his consistent guidance on socio-economic transformation, noting that his insights continue to shape leadership focus on improving livelihoods.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa rallied MPs to support the president’s agenda, emphasizing that effective governance requires cooperation among state institutions rather than constant confrontation.

He cautioned legislators against being swayed by critics who equate performance with opposing government, saying Parliament should work in complementarity with the executive to deliver national development.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, on her part, urged MPs to consistently support government policies whenever they are presented before Parliament, stressing the importance of unity in advancing the country’s development agenda.

Museveni concluded by urging MPs to prioritize rural transformation and avoid repeating past mistakes where legislators were overly absorbed in bureaucratic work at the expense of their constituencies.

“If we work together and focus on the people, we shall succeed,” he added.