By Hakim Kyeswa
As we celebrate the resounding 71% victory of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the 2026 elections—a remarkable reversal of fortune—it is only fitting that we also celebrate the architect of this political renaissance: Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo. Her story is not just one of political strategy, but of human connection, courage, and unwavering belief in a cause when all hope seemed lost.
To appreciate her impact, we must first revisit the stark reality of 2021. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) was reeling from a seismic shock. The NUP wave had swept through Buganda, washing away seasoned ministers and reducing the President’s vote share in the region to a staggering average of 25%.
The political ground had shifted beneath our feet. Many in the party retreated into silence, waiting for direction, while the President himself was rightly preoccupied with resuscitating an economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NRM’s spirit, it seemed, was at its lowest ebb.
Then, as our elders wisely say, “Eteefe etuusa Mugenyi”—when the family is absent and the homestead is threatened, a visitor arrives just in time to save the day. In our case, the “visitor” was not a stranger, but a little-known woman appointed to head the Office of the National Chairman. It was as if the Chwezi ancestors had whispered a name, and President Museveni heeded the call. Hajjat Namyalo stepped onto a barren political field, where even government officials feared to utter “NRM” in public.
What did she do? She did not retreat to boardrooms. She went to the people.
She walked into the downtown ghettos, the bustling taxi parks, and the dusty alleys where disgruntled, jobless youth had lost faith. She discovered a profound truth: these young people did not hate the President; they felt unheard and abandoned.
Namyalo became their listener and their voice. She criticised corruption openly—a breath of fresh air that gave Ugandans hope that integrity could still thrive within the system. Her genius lay in action, not just words. With limited resources and no bureaucratic fanfare, she launched youth empowerment initiatives that delivered modest but life-changing tools—sewing machines, popcorn makers, hair dryers. These were not grand handouts, but seeds of dignity planted in fertile soil. In urban centres, livelihoods began to bloom, and with them, a renewed sense of belonging.
Then came the slogan that would become a national chorus: “Tova Ku Main Jajja.” To the short-sighted, it was premature campaigning. To Namyalo, it was a rallying cry—a way to keep the party’s flame alive in the hearts of the people. And it worked. By 2024, even the most hesitant NRM leaders had rejoined the mobilisation drive, confident that victory was not just possible, but inevitable. The results in areas like Kawempe South, Nakawa East, and Nakawa East, where NRM reclaimed seats, bear the imprint of her grassroots work.
But perhaps her most critical role was one of guardianship.
Entrusted with vote protection, she ensured that the 2026 election was free from the shadow of doubt that clouded 2021, when over two million votes were brazenly stolen from the President. This time, the will of the people stood unchallenged.
Politics, indeed, is not a one-man show. Many contributed to this victory. Yet we must never forget the woman who broke the ground when it was hardest, who sowed seeds in a season of despair, and who rekindled the fire of belief in a party that seemed to have lost its way. As another proverb reminds us, “A single log of wood cannot warm a courtyard.”
Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo brought the logs, lit the fire, and gathered the people around it.
As we celebrate the President’s historic 71%, let us also celebrate the woman who helped make it possible. Her legacy is written not just in numbers, but in the changed lives of the youth, the reclaimed trust of the people, and the renewed vitality of a movement. History will remember her courage. So should we.
The writer is an NRM cadre and political analyst.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of DailyExpress as an entity or its employees or partners.
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2026 elections Uganda, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, Hakim Kyeswa, Kyeswa Hakim, Museveni 71 percent victory, NRM grassroots mobilisation, NRM opinion, ONC Uganda, Opinion, political commentary Uganda, Tova Ku Main Jajja
By Hakim Kyeswa
As we celebrate the resounding 71% victory of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the 2026 elections—a remarkable reversal of fortune—it is only fitting that we also celebrate the architect of this political renaissance: Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo. Her story is not just one of political strategy, but of human connection, courage, and unwavering belief in a cause when all hope seemed lost.
To appreciate her impact, we must first revisit the stark reality of 2021. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) was reeling from a seismic shock. The NUP wave had swept through Buganda, washing away seasoned ministers and reducing the President’s vote share in the region to a staggering average of 25%.
The political ground had shifted beneath our feet. Many in the party retreated into silence, waiting for direction, while the President himself was rightly preoccupied with resuscitating an economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NRM’s spirit, it seemed, was at its lowest ebb.
Then, as our elders wisely say, “Eteefe etuusa Mugenyi”—when the family is absent and the homestead is threatened, a visitor arrives just in time to save the day. In our case, the “visitor” was not a stranger, but a little-known woman appointed to head the Office of the National Chairman. It was as if the Chwezi ancestors had whispered a name, and President Museveni heeded the call. Hajjat Namyalo stepped onto a barren political field, where even government officials feared to utter “NRM” in public.
What did she do? She did not retreat to boardrooms. She went to the people.
She walked into the downtown ghettos, the bustling taxi parks, and the dusty alleys where disgruntled, jobless youth had lost faith. She discovered a profound truth: these young people did not hate the President; they felt unheard and abandoned.
Namyalo became their listener and their voice. She criticised corruption openly—a breath of fresh air that gave Ugandans hope that integrity could still thrive within the system. Her genius lay in action, not just words. With limited resources and no bureaucratic fanfare, she launched youth empowerment initiatives that delivered modest but life-changing tools—sewing machines, popcorn makers, hair dryers. These were not grand handouts, but seeds of dignity planted in fertile soil. In urban centres, livelihoods began to bloom, and with them, a renewed sense of belonging.
Then came the slogan that would become a national chorus: “Tova Ku Main Jajja.” To the short-sighted, it was premature campaigning. To Namyalo, it was a rallying cry—a way to keep the party’s flame alive in the hearts of the people. And it worked. By 2024, even the most hesitant NRM leaders had rejoined the mobilisation drive, confident that victory was not just possible, but inevitable. The results in areas like Kawempe South, Nakawa East, and Nakawa East, where NRM reclaimed seats, bear the imprint of her grassroots work.
But perhaps her most critical role was one of guardianship.
Entrusted with vote protection, she ensured that the 2026 election was free from the shadow of doubt that clouded 2021, when over two million votes were brazenly stolen from the President. This time, the will of the people stood unchallenged.
Politics, indeed, is not a one-man show. Many contributed to this victory. Yet we must never forget the woman who broke the ground when it was hardest, who sowed seeds in a season of despair, and who rekindled the fire of belief in a party that seemed to have lost its way. As another proverb reminds us, “A single log of wood cannot warm a courtyard.”
Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo brought the logs, lit the fire, and gathered the people around it.
As we celebrate the President’s historic 71%, let us also celebrate the woman who helped make it possible. Her legacy is written not just in numbers, but in the changed lives of the youth, the reclaimed trust of the people, and the renewed vitality of a movement. History will remember her courage. So should we.
The writer is an NRM cadre and political analyst.
Related
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.