By Brian Mugenyi
KAMPALA — While the 2031 general elections may seem distant, Oscar Francisco Mutebi is already laying the groundwork for a different kind of leadership in Masaka district. The Private Secretary to Vice President Emeritus Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi believes that driving grassroots economic development—and placing humanity at the core of governance—cannot wait for an election year.
Mutebi’s political philosophy centers on continuous community engagement rather than seasonal campaign promises. Through targeted interventions spanning local commerce, youth sports, educational technology, and agriculture, his strategy prioritizes immediate service delivery over partisan rhetoric.
“It is better to deliver services to people than to walk the grapevine of politics,” Mutebi says. “Politics comes and goes, but service remains. The most important thing is whether people’s lives are improving.”
At the Diimo Landing Site, a vital economic hub on the shores of Lake Victoria, Mutebi’s approach translates into direct engagement with traders, fishermen, and small-business owners. Rather than treating the landing site as a mere political venue, he views it as a micro-economy requiring practical support for household income generation, youth opportunity creation, and enhanced service access.
His youth empowerment strategy expands to the sports arena and local schools. Through the Buddu County football team structure under Jude Muleke, Mutebi provided essential sports equipment to aspiring athletes at the Buddu County Arena. He framing youth talent not as a charity case, but as a critical socio-economic investment.
“Young people have talent, but talent needs support. When you give young people opportunities, you give society a better future,” Mutebi explains.
This philosophy extends directly into the classroom. At St. Mugaga Secondary School, Mutebi donated a flat-screen television, allowing students from St. Mugaga and nearby Molly and Paul Schools to watch major international events together. Beyond providing recreation, the initiative serves as a tool for digital exposure and global awareness. Deo Ssembatya, Head Prefect at St. Mugaga, noted that the gesture broadened the students’ horizons beyond traditional textbooks, helping them feel connected to global affairs.
In the broader Greater Masaka region, Mutebi’s economic blueprint focuses heavily on commercial agriculture, specifically encouraging communities to scale up coffee farming to achieve sustainable household wealth. Coffee production, he emphasizes, remains the primary engine for funding health care, education, and long-term security across local homesteads.
While Mutebi continues to participate in National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilization and grassroots political structures, his overall campaign strategy redefines how political success should be evaluated ahead of 2031. For Mutebi, effective representation is measured by tangible improvements in local livelihoods, expanded youth opportunities, and sustained community presence long before voters return to the ballot box.
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