An election season that tested Uganda and what it taught us

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OPINION

By Michael Woira

The previous year was defined by nonstop political activity. Everywhere you went, there were rallies, roadshows and campaign teams crisscrossing the country.

Uganda was in campaign mode. Before the real mobilisation began, the Electoral Commission held nominations at its new headquarters in Lubowa.

That move alone was important. By shifting the process away from the Central Business District, the Commission avoided traffic chaos, business disruptions and unnecessary tension in the city. It was a quiet but smart decision.

Once the official roadmap was released, every district and region began organising. Supporters lined up behind their candidates, and campaign machinery moved into full gear.

I personally followed three or four candidates closely, but above all President Museveni, who chose to begin his campaign in Luwero, the birthplace of Uganda’s liberation struggle. That choice was symbolic. It reminded the country where the journey started and why stability matters.

In Luwero, Museveni launched his campaign around a simple but strong theme: protecting the gains. And when we talk about gains, every Ugandan knows what that means.

Over the last four decades, Uganda has built national infrastructure, expanded health and education, improved security, and stabilised the economy. Roads, electricity, schools, hospitals and peace did not fall from the sky, they were built step by step. The message was clear, what has been achieved must be protected and strengthened.

On the other side was Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, whose slogan was “protest the vote”. What that meant in practice was never very clearly explained. But when you examined their manifesto closely, much of it was about improving systems that already exist. In other words, even they were also talking about protecting the gains, just in different language.

The campaigns themselves started calmly. Each candidate went to their allocated districts as guided by the Electoral Commission. But problems began when one candidate repeatedly ignored security guidelines. Routes were changed without agreement. Instructions were refused. Convoys diverted themselves.

In any country, that creates tension. In Uganda, where public order is sensitive during elections, security reacted with force in some cases. Some supporters wanted to “test” the system, to see how far they could go. That approach only made things worse.

As someone who grew up in the Firebase music era, I respect Kyagulanyi as an artist. But politically, leadership requires discipline. The country cannot be run like a concert stage. Campaigns require order, not bravado (Ekibuli).

When it came to messaging, the contrast was clear. President Museveni focused on what has been done, hospitals, schools, roads, electricity, security and what still needs to be done. People could see these things in their own communities.

Other candidates spent much of their time attacking Museveni personally instead of explaining what they would do differently. Some even started acting as if they had already won, announcing first ladies and celebrating State House before votes were cast.

Then came polling day.

I moved around several polling stations in my village to observe what was happening. Despite fear among some voters, the voting process went on.

The internet was switched off, and while many complained, it reduced online propaganda, fake results and coordinated disinformation. This time, the noise was not on social media, it was at the polling stations where people quietly lined up to vote.

The results were later announced. President Museveni won with over 7 million votes, while Kyagulanyi got around 2 million. Apart from a few clashes between supporters and security personnel, the country did not experience widespread chaos. Uganda remained largely calm.

What was strange was what happened online, especially from some Ugandans abroad. From TikTok and other platforms, people who were not even in the country were calling for violence telling others to burn petrol stations, attack roads, or harm fellow Ugandans. That kind of talk was reckless. You cannot burn the house you live in. Politics should never turn into hatred for your own country.

Ironically, Kyagulanyi himself once sang a song called “Obululu Tebutwawula” meaning that voting should not divide us.

In that song, he warned against hating each other over politics and destroying the country we all belong to. That message was powerful. It is unfortunate that politics has made many forget those words.

Today, Uganda is calm. People are back to work. Life is moving on.

This year should not be about endless political fights. It should be about building our lives. Making money. Educating our children. Growing businesses. Strengthening our communities. The “New Uganda” is not just a slogan it is what we create every day through work, discipline and peace.

We have voted. We have a government. Now it is time to move forward as one country so in Pastor Bugembe’s words, Kyagulanyi Komawo ekka pleaase .

The writer is a Patriotic Ugandan