The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party officials in Kampala are intensifying preparations for the 2026 general elections with a strong appeal for reconciliation and unity among members.
Citing past electoral losses in the capital, party leaders acknowledge that internal divisions have consistently undermined the NRM’s extensive organizational structure.
During a mobilization meeting, Salim Uhuru Nsubuga, the NRM Vice Chairperson for the Kampala region, urged members to set aside old grievances and consolidate collective support for President Yoweri Museveni and other party flag bearers.
Uhuru, who is currently the only NRM leader holding a mayoral seat in Kampala (as Mayor of Kampala Central Division), stressed that unity is the only way to capitalize on the party’s deep grassroots presence, saying, “Let us move as one family. This is the only way we can win because we have the structures and the numbers right from the village level to the district.” He highlighted the party’s current under-representation in the capital, noting that of the 85 Lord Councillors in the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), only two represent the NRM.
To reverse the trend of losses, the NRM is adopting a new campaign strategy that empowers village-level structures to spearhead vote mobilization for President Museveni and other candidates.
Uhuru announced that this “door-to-door strategy” is the first of its kind, emphasizing that local leaders will be facilitated to reach every household, particularly in key divisions like Makindye and Nakawa.
Rt.Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko the NRM Deputy Secretary General, echoed this call for unity while presenting the party’s flag bearers, warning that internal divisions weaken the party’s prospects. She reminded members to “tick the bus,” the NRM’s official symbol, urging them to focus on securing a victory in Kampala for President Museveni, who faces seven challengers in the presidential race, including Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of the National Unity Platform. The new approach was hailed as a “fresh start” by Moses Kizito Nsubuga, the candidate for Kampala Lord Mayor, who called for a focus on development over “politics of sympathy” to address the city’s long-standing issues.
A key component of the mobilization effort involves educating urban dwellers about existing government development programs, which State House Comptroller Jane Barekye noted have low awareness in the city. Barekye urged leaders to go “home to home, stage to stage,” to ensure targeted groups are aware of and benefiting from initiatives like the Parish Development Model (PDM), and funds provided to “Ghetto structures” and boda boda SACCOs (each ghetto structure has been allocated Sh100 million). Amina Lukanga Nanziri, the NRM flag bearer for Kampala Woman MP, confirmed that empowering the long-neglected local structures is crucial for reversing the party’s past electoral misfortune.