Kampala, Uganda: The Senior Presidential Advisor and Manager of the Office of NRM National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, has appealed to all Ugandans to embrace President Museveni’s public apology, describing it as a strong show of leadership and humility.
Speaking in an exclusive interview days after the President’s unprecedented remarks during National Prayers at Kololo, where he apologized to Buganda Kingdom and Ugandans who may have been wronged during his 40-year rule, Namyalo said the apology must be matched with action, especially on urgent issues affecting Buganda like land grabbing and youth unemployment.
“Buganda has challenges, which I think the biggest of all is land grabbing and unemployment among the youth. When President Museveni addresses those people’s hearts in Buganda will settle,” said Hajjat Namyalo, widely known as Chief Muzzukulu.
She added that while there is growing agitation for federalism among some Baganda, such a constitutional reform must be preceded by wide consultations.
The ONC Manager also called on the President to intensify the fight against corruption, especially within government institutions like the police, judiciary, and among saboteurs of the Parish Development Model (PDM), which she said are undermining government efforts to uplift livelihoods.
She revealed that Museveni has made similar apologies in Acholi and Gulu, where he sympathized with victims of the LRA insurgency, arguing that the President’s repeated remorse underscores his depth as a leader and a unifier.
ONC’s Power Grab in NRM Structures
Reflecting on ONC’s performance in the just-concluded NRM grassroots polls, Namyalo credited her coordinators for energizing the party’s base, especially at village and parish levels, under the slogan “Jjajja Tova Ku Main.”
“My members managed to scoop as many as 1.3 million positions at the village level out of 2.1 million posts across 72,000 villages,” she said, noting ONC also secured over 153,000 posts at parish level, including 7,200 chairpersons. “That is the wind we are creating,” Namyalo added, attributing the success to grassroots mobilization and a clear mission to install service-minded leaders at every level of the party.
Asked why senior party members have terribly lost in the party structures, Namyalo said many “big fish” had become complacent and detached from ordinary citizens. “Some of them don’t know what they want. They were complaining about my office instead of focusing on delivery. If they lost, it means they were weak on the ground,” she noted.
The Chief Muzzukulu emphasized that her role is to mobilize bazzukulu across the country for President Museveni, and that she will not “kneel” for anyone, including those uncomfortable with her rising influence.
Buganda and Busoga Plan Ahead of 2026
Commenting on the ruling NRM party’s chances to reclaim victory in Buganda and Busoga come 2026, Namyalo declined to reveal her tactics but expressed confidence in delivering results once officially deployed.
“In the Kawempe North by-election, I had a strategy that would have swept NUP if approved. I’m waiting for deployment, and I promise to deliver with all my heart,” she said.
However, she warned that internal wrangles among top NRM women leaders in Busoga could derail the party’s chances if not checked. “In Busoga, every woman leader wants to be the queen…I will not kneel to anyone’s authority. If this infighting continues, expect NRM to lose again,” Namyalo warned.
She questioned why, despite President Museveni’s heavy investment in Busoga, poverty persists and opposition continues to thrive.
Namyalo acknowledged her political weight in Buganda and said it’s no surprise that NUP fears her mobilization strength. “I know Kyagulanyi’s tricks. He mastered NRM’s weaknesses, but I also know his. He is not presidential material,” she said.
On the emergence of Mathias Mpuuga’s new Democratic Front political party, Namyalo was dismissive to say; “Everyone can start a party, but keeping it alive is the challenge. Does he have the team, structures, and strategy?”
The ONC boss reaffirmed her loyalty to President Museveni, stating she is prepared to deliver Buganda for him in 2026 if deployed: “I cannot sit in Kyambogo and watch my boss unhappy. I was appointed to serve Museveni, not to listen to nonsense.”
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