Jinja, Uganda: President Museveni’s Senior Presidential Advisor and Manager of the Office of National Chairman (ONC), yesterday staged a mega voter mobilisation rally in Buwenge Town Council, drawing hundreds of thousands of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters to vote for H.E. the President in next week’s 2026 general elections.
The Wednesday rally held along the streets of Buwenge TC in Kagoma North Constituency turned the town into a sea of yellow, with crowds filling the venue hours ahead of Chief Muzzukulu’s arrival to welcome the senior mobiliser, who had taken a brief pause from rallies during Yoweri Museveni’s nationwide campaign trail.
Namyalo’s return, ONC officials said, was strategic and came under the directive of President Museveni, who tasked her to spearhead last-mile voter education, particularly among the Bazzukulu, to address the persistent challenge of invalid votes that have cost the ruling party in previous elections.
According to official figures from previous electoral seasons, the 2021 presidential election recorded about 393,500 invalid votes, while the 2016 election registered approximately 477,300 invalid ballots. The NRM mobilisation structures estimate that more than 80 per cent of those spoiled votes were intended for the ruling party, lost largely through ballot-marking errors rather than voter choice.
“This is exactly why I am here,” Hajjat Namyalo told the cheering crowd. “The President directed that we must teach our people how to vote properly. We cannot continue losing votes because of simple mistakes.”
Demonstrating the correct way of marking the ballot paper with a ballot dummy, the Chief Muzzukulu cautioned voters against ticking on the candidate’s photograph or party symbol instead of the designated box.
“Tick once. Tick clearly. Tick in the right box. Don’t rush and don’t spoil your future,” she said, as ONC teams conducted mock demonstrations for the Bazzukulu.
The rally, dubbed Busoga Bus Tikinga, combined political mobilisation with hands-on civic education ahead of the January 15, 2026, general elections, reinforcing the NRM’s final push for disciplined and informed voting.
Addressing the gathering, Hon Brandon Alex Kintu, the Kagoma North MP and Spokesperson of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, urged supporters to turn up early and vote correctly. “Busoga is firmly NRM, but numbers alone are not enough. Accuracy is power. Every correct vote strengthens President Museveni’s mandate,” Kintu said.
What Leaders Say
Speaking to DailyExpress in an exclusive interview, Mr Isabirye Hassan Kinosa, the Buwenge Town Council Mayor and NRM flag bearer, credited President Museveni for development gains in the area, including government schools and improved health facilities.
“Buwenge has benefited from NRM leadership. We now have government schools and health centres because of President Museveni. On January 15, we shall vote massively for him to protect these gains,” Kinosa said.
He, however, appealed to the President to intervene in land-related challenges, particularly the leasing of land titles, noting that Buwenge’s new town council status requires clearer land tenure to attract investment.
Kinosa also called for the long-promised Buwenge–Kaliro road, which cuts across Jinja, Kamuli, Luuka, Iganga and Kaliro districts, to be upgraded and tarmacked. “We ask our people to vote NRM massively so that in the next term, we demand these unfulfilled pledges with authority,” he added.
Mr Matege Ramazan Tibuhaburwa, the Chairperson of the NRM Youth League in Jinja District, said he was a beneficiary of NRM policies. “I am a product of Universal Primary and Secondary Education. Without NRM, I would not be here,” he said.
Matege raised concerns over the lack of a taxi park and a central market in Buwenge Town Council, warning that roadside parking and vending pose safety risks and congestion.
“We also have rampant theft of drugs in government health facilities. We ask the President to rein in those stealing medicines and save the lives of the Bazzukulu,” he added, as he urged young voters not to waste their votes. “Vote wisely. Vote for Jajja so that we protect what we have and ask for more.”
However, their counterpart, Lyagoba Erisa, the NRM Publicity Secretary for Magamaga Ward in Kagoma Town Council, criticised the party leadership, accusing it of sidelining loyal cadres. “When it comes to big appointments, the President looks for opposition converts and forgets us loyal NRM cadres and our educated children,” Lyagoba said.
He added that party leaders are often remembered only during elections and called for an opportunity to directly present grievances to the President, bypassing what he described as compromised district leadership.
Namyalo ended the rally with a clear highlight of the NRM’s record in maintaining peace, expanding road infrastructure, stabilising the economy and improving access to education, arguing that these gains must be defended through organised and informed voting.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Muzzukulu made a symbolic stop at Bujagali Falls, where she led traditional prayers for peaceful elections and President Museveni’s victory. The site holds deep cultural and spiritual significance among the Basoga, and her visit drew local leaders, elders and supporters.
“As we ask God for victory, we also pray for unity and peace in Uganda,” Namyalo said at the site.
The ONC boss confirmed to this publication that the voter mobilisation and ballot education drive will roll out across multiple regions in the final days of the campaign, targeting urban centres and high-density constituencies where invalid voting has historically been high.
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