Museveni Tells Gomba: My Daughters Are Busy To Join Parliament —Try Convincing the Goats Instead

President Yoweri Museveni has disclosed that residents from both Gomba and Ntungamo districts have been urging his daughters—Natasha Karugire and Diana Kyaremera—to step into national politics by contesting for parliamentary seats.

However, the president cast doubt on the possibility of either daughter giving in to these requests, saying they are deeply committed to their own professional and family responsibilities.

Speaking to journalists at his Rwakitura country home on Wednesday night, Museveni revealed that community members have approached him multiple times, asking him to convince the First Daughters to represent them in Parliament. He recounted one of the most recent encounters during a visit to Kisozi.

“Recently I went to Gomba in Kisozi and the Baganda of Kisozi told me; ‘Twagala Natasha ajje yesimbewo’ (We want Natasha to come and contest to represent us.)” he said.

Museveni responded by explaining that politics is not something Natasha intends to pursue. “I told them, what would my girl be looking for joining politics? She cannot. When Natasha goes to Kisozi she’s going to look after our cows not to fight for petty political offices. They can try and beg her but I don’t think they can convince her.”

He noted that the situation is similar in Ntungamo District, where residents have increasingly been asking his youngest daughter, Diana Kyaremera, to run for Woman Member of Parliament.

“In Ntungamo district, Museveni said, similar calls had emerged for his last born daughter Diana Kyaremera to contest for the district woman MP race.”

He emphasized that Diana, much like Natasha, is occupied with family responsibilities. “My other daughter Diana is in Ntungamo taking care of our grandparents’ land; and the locals always say, ‘Diana should come and contest for the District Woman MP.’ But she can’t. My children cannot get involved in that.”

Museveni’s remarks came as a response to a broader question about the surge in political aspirants during the current election season and the increasing number of violent incidents reported on the campaign trail. He linked these issues to economic hardship among Ugandans, arguing that many people pursue political office primarily as a means of financial survival rather than public service.

“The reason we have politics of life and death in Uganda is because most people who join politics are poor and looking for bread. They do not come in to serve but to make money,” he said.

To illustrate his point, Museveni recounted an interaction with a Kampala businessman. “There is a person in Kampala whom I offered a ministerial position and he turned it down saying he has his own businesses and they’d be affected if he got into government.”

According to the president, the long-term solution to stabilizing Uganda’s political environment does not lie in increased arrests or tougher law enforcement, but rather in uplifting families economically so that political leadership becomes a choice of service—not a desperate hunt for income.

“What will stabilize politics is not law enforcement, and arresting people; it is families getting out of poverty so that a person joins politics to serve not to look for food.”