Kampala, Uganda: Celebrated singer and cultural icon Hajjat Stecia Mayanja has officially been unveiled as the new President of the revived National Peasants Party (NPP) ahead of Uganda’s 2026 General Election, setting the stage for one of the most unconventional political bids in recent memory.
The dramatic announcement was made on Friday, July 11, 2025, during a colorful ceremony in Kampala, where Mayanja, clutching a copy of the Qur’an, declared her readiness to steer the NPP into national relevance while challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s four-decade hold on power.
Founded in 2004 by Hajj Elias Wamala Miyagi and other activists, the NPP has largely remained dormant until now, but it (party) is positioning itself as a voice for ordinary Ugandans, with a plan to field candidates from the village level up to the presidency in 2026.
“The National Peasants Party is here to reclaim the voice of the common person. We are tired of watching the same faces govern us year after year while the cost of living, joblessness, and corruption keep rising,” said an official from NPP during the unveiling.
Mayanja’s selection as party leader highlights the growing trend of celebrity figures entering Uganda’s political space, leveraging cultural appeal to tap into communities often neglected by traditional political elites.
Political observers note that Mayanja’s candidacy could energize key rural and faith-based constituencies, especially in urban informal settlements and among Muslim communities, where her public persona carries significant influence.
The NPP says it will run a grassroots-led campaign focusing on access to basic services, economic inclusion, and restoring dignity for peasant farmers and informal workers. “We are not just running for office, we are rebuilding a nation, starting from the bottom up,” Stecia Mayanja said after her declaration.
The 2026 General Elections are scheduled for January 12, 2026, and will be conducted under a two-round voting system. Mayanja’s candidacy will place her in direct competition with long-serving incumbent President Museveni, whose re-election bid has already been confirmed by the NRM.
Despite its limited political footprint in past elections, the NPP now hopes to emerge as a counterforce to Uganda’s entrenched political establishment by fronting a new generation of candidates who speak directly to household struggles.
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