Mpigi, Uganda: Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, the Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), on Thursday made a grand return to the historic Katonga corridor in Mpigi District, leading an extended voter education and mobilisation drive that blended ballot discipline with liberation memory as the ruling NRM sharpens its final push for Yoweri Museveni’s re-election next week.
The engagement, staged near the refurbished Katonga Bridge along the Masaka–Mbarara highway, drew thousands of NRM supporters, elders, outh and party leaders under the banner “Katonga Zukuka”, a symbolic call to awaken both political consciousness and historical loyalty in one of the movement’s most sacred landscapes.
Among those present were Mpigi District NRM Woman MP flag bearer Harriet Mbabazi and district LCV flag bearer Kyeyune David, as ONC structures rolled out voter education sessions targeting first-time voters and the party’s youth base, the Bazzukulu.
Why Katonga Matters
Katonga is not just a river or a trading corridor. In NRA/NRM history, the Katonga River and its surrounding wetlands served as a strategic lifeline during the 1981–1986 liberation war, offering cover, passage and tactical advantage to National Resistance Army fighters advancing toward Kampala.
It was in this terrain—thick with papyrus, water channels and villages sympathetic to the struggle—that fighters regrouped, crossed, and survived, making Katonga both a physical and spiritual gateway in the march that culminated in the 1986 takeover.
By choosing Katonga, Namyalo’s mobilisation was deliberately symbolic: a return to a place of sacrifice to renew loyalty, protect the vote, and secure victory for the man whose ascent to power was made possible by the region’s blood and endurance.
“These people paid a heavy price to rescue Uganda from bad leadership,” Namyalo told the gathering. “Katonga is not ordinary land. It is sacred ground in our history, and its people deserve dignity, protection and respect.”
Ballot Discipline as Political Protection
At the heart of the mobilisation was voter education—an issue Namyalo said remains critical after thousands of votes were invalidated in previous elections due to simple marking errors.
“On January 15, vote correctly,” she said. “Tick in the box provided. Do not tick on the photo. Do not thumbprint on the party symbol. One small mistake can kill your vote.”
The Chief Muzzukulu reminded supporters that in the 2021 elections, a significant number of votes cast in favour of President Museveni were invalidated due to improper marking.
“Many Ugandans voted for the President, but their votes were wasted because of wrong voting. That is why ONC is on the ground—to protect every valid vote,” Namyalo said.
She said the ongoing voter education and vote protection campaign is being implemented on the direct guidance of President Museveni, with ONC and NRM structures deployed from village to district level to ensure voters understand the process and that ballots are defended lawfully.
Land, Legacy and Unfinished Promises
Beyond voting, Namyalo used the Katonga platform to address land insecurity, warning against evictions and land grabbing in an area she said “earned its protection through sacrifice.”
“No one should intimidate you or grab your land,” she said. “This place sheltered the liberation struggle. Its people must not be humiliated or displaced.”
Locals raised concerns that despite repeated presidential pledges to support Katonga communities as recognition for their wartime role, benefits often fail to reach them due to diversion by intermediaries.
The interaction also exposed deeper social challenges. A group of women engaged in sex work approached Namyalo, appealing for government support to exit what they described as survival-driven exploitation.
They requested capital, skilling and empowerment programmes to enable alternative livelihoods, saying poverty had trapped them in degrading conditions.
Namyalo acknowledged their plea, noting that wealth creation and social transformation remain core pillars of the NRM agenda. She assured them their grievances would be documented and followed up through appropriate channels.
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