In Summary: The Patriotic League of Uganda has suspended physical signature collection in support of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s 2031 presidential bid, directing supporters to register online while announcing plans to establish regional and district offices from December 1. The changes come amid renewed debate over President Museveni’s succession remarks at the NRM Central Executive Committee.
Kampala, Uganda — The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has suspended its nationwide collection of physical endorsement signatures for Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s proposed 2031 presidential bid, directing supporters to use its official online platform as the organisation prepares to expand its grassroots structures.
In a directive issued on Saturday, October 31, 2026, PLU General Secretary Twalla Fadil said the decision followed guidance from the organisation’s chairman, Gen Muhoozi, who also serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
The new arrangement, according to Fadil, requires all endorsements supporting Muhoozi’s proposed presidential candidature to be submitted through the PLU website, effectively ending the use of physical endorsement books in the ongoing mobilisation exercise.
“All endorsements in support of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba Museveni as the next President of Uganda shall henceforth be conducted strictly online through the PLU’s official website,” Fadil declared.
To accommodate supporters without smartphones or reliable internet access, the organisation plans to establish operational offices at regional and district levels to facilitate digital registration, endorsement submissions and the issuance of Patriotic Cadre (PC) identification numbers.
“We are going to open offices at Regional and District level to facilitate the online registration, endorsements, and issuing Patriotic Cadre (PC) numbers,” Fadil added.
Field coordinators holding physical endorsement books have been directed to retrieve the materials from sub-counties and return them to the PLU Secretariat in Kampala by November 30 for compilation and auditing.
The transition will be followed by the opening of regional and district branch offices beginning December 1, according to Muhoozi. “PLU will start opening branch offices countrywide beginning on 1st December. PLU will approve all new RDCs in the country. We need serious cadres who are incorruptible,” he posted on X.
In another post explaining the organisation’s identity, Muhoozi described PLU as a faction or pressure group within the broader NRM political movement. “PLU is a sect, faction or pressure group within the NRM religion. We are a denomination that has zero tolerance for corruption. We are similar to the MAGA movement within the Republican Party of the USA,” Fadil said, adding that the organisation will continue its community Barazas, with renewed emphasis on anti-corruption campaigns, medical camps and legal guidance for members of the public.
Muhoozi campaign gathers momentum amid NRM succession debate
The restructuring comes amid heightened political debate following President Yoweri Museveni’s recent presentation to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) on the qualities he considers necessary for Uganda’s future leadership.
During the closed-door meeting at State House Entebbe, Museveni reportedly outlined attributes including Pan-Africanism, military discipline, ideological clarity and commitment to national development. He also reportedly invited the party’s top leadership to assess his son’s suitability against the qualities outlined in the presentation.
“. . . As the father of Muhoozi, a resistance fighter and the one who encouraged him to join the army, I know him to excel on most of these considerations. Even his tweets, when I get time to read them, are always about Africa, Uganda, and their future,” Museveni reportedly told the CEC members.
“You should, therefore, frankly discuss, in the right forum, Muhoozi’s suitability vis-à-vis these considerations. If you are satisfied with Muhoozi’s record on the ‘what’ and ‘why’, then you look at the ‘how’.”
The remarks triggered differing interpretations within the ruling establishment, with Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda publicly describing them as an endorsement of Muhoozi’s presidential ambitions.
However, NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr Tanga Odoi cautioned against interpreting the discussions as a formal succession decision, saying the CEC meeting had not been convened to select Museveni’s successor.
The Monitor reported that Museveni had indicated that the majority would ultimately have a say in the succession question, while the discussion focused on the qualities expected of future national leadership.
Against this background, Gen Muhoozi has also instructed PLU supporters to stop publicly debating Museveni’s presentation and concentrate on the endorsement campaign. “I hereby order all PLU members to stop discussing Mzee’s paper delivered to the NRM CEC recently. Leave these matters to me and Mzee. Focus on the endorsements from the people,” he directed in a post on X.
PLU’s online endorsement platform was already operational before Saturday’s announcement, with the organisation reporting that it had collected millions of endorsements through a combination of digital submissions and physical books.
On October 29, PLU official Frank Mwesigye announced that the organisation had collected 6.4 million endorsements in six weeks, with an initial target of 20 million by September 2027. The figures were presented by the organisation and have not been independently audited.
Military involvement and constitutional questions
The expanding political activities of PLU have also renewed questions about the constitutional position of Gen Muhoozi, who remains a serving military officer and head of the UPDF.
Article 208(2) of the 1995 Constitution requires the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to be non-partisan, while Section 16 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act restricts serving members of the UPDF from founding, joining or holding office in political parties or organisations, speaking publicly on matters of political party controversy or canvassing support for political parties and candidates.
However, the legal classification of PLU is relevant to the debate. The Political Parties and Organisations Act excludes pressure groups and civic organisations from its definition of political organisations, while defining a pressure group as an association seeking to influence public opinion and government action.
PLU has described itself as a pressure group within the NRM, but its nationwide mobilisation and endorsement campaign for Muhoozi’s proposed presidential candidature have continued to attract scrutiny over the distinction between civic mobilisation and partisan political activity.
National Coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation Alice Alaso has called for clarity over Muhoozi’s political intentions, warning against leaving Ugandans uncertain about the country’s leadership direction.
Civil society activist Sarah Bireete has also argued that if Muhoozi intends to pursue active political ambitions, his military status should be addressed through the appropriate retirement procedures.
Section 99 of the UPDF Act also provides for serving officers seeking political office to first resign or retire in accordance with the law. PLU, however, maintains that its activities will continue through community engagement, anti-corruption campaigns, medical outreach and legal assistance, alongside the new digital endorsement system.
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