Kyagulanyi Pledges Compulsory Feeding in Government Schools

The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, has pledged to introduce compulsory feeding in all government-aided schools across the country if elected. 

Speaking during his day-two campaign rally in Namwendwa Town Council, Kamuli District, Kyagulanyi said hunger is a major driver of school dropouts, as many learners cannot endure long school days without meals.

He noted that some children abandon school for casual labor in sugarcane plantations, earning between 3,000–10,000 shillings to afford food, while others—especially girls—fall prey to older men in exchange for meals. According to Kyagulanyi, this has fueled teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

Kyagulanyi said his proposed nationwide school feeding program will include porridge and an egg at break time, and a meal in the afternoon. He believes this will improve learners’ attention in class, boost academic performance, and keep girls in school by reducing vulnerability to sexual exploitation.

“This program will restore dignity among school-going children, especially girls, and ensure no child has to trade their future for food,” Kyagulanyi said. Kyagulanyi is expected to continue his campaign today at Luuka District Headquarters—the same venue where he was arrested on November 18, 2020, while addressing a rally. 

His arrest then, under the command of AIGP Frank Mwesigwa, sparked nationwide protests in which at least 54 people were killed, according to government figures. He was later detained at Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja City and charged with violating COVID-19 guidelines before being released on bail by the Iganga Grade One Magistrates Court.

The 2020 incident elevated his political profile in Luuka, where his strong performance in that election cycle saw him beat President Yoweri Museveni in the district—a feat no opposition candidate had previously achieved.