Bukedi NRM leaders draft unity plan to rally support for Museveni

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leaders from the Bukedi sub-region have drawn up key interventions aimed at strengthening mobilisation efforts and campaigns for party flag bearers, from grassroots to the presidency.

The move involved identifying weaknesses affecting the party’s progress, including internal conflicts, mistrust, lack of unity, poor transparency and a tendency to undermine each other. The leaders agreed on practical solutions they believe will secure success in the upcoming elections.

Resolutions included instructing all constituency flag bearers to organise reconciliation meetings, urging members to consistently wear party attire, and openly campaigning for the President. They also emphasised the need to engage disgruntled losers from the party primaries and to intensify mobilisation for voter turnout on election day.

These resolutions were reached during a half-day consultative meeting chaired by David Calvin Echodu, NRM’s national vice chairman for eastern Uganda, held at Rock Classic Hotel in Tororo town on September 20, 2025.

The meeting was attended by defence minister Jacob Oboth, regional affairs state minister John Mulimba, Members of Parliament, LC5 chairpersons, party flag bearers, Resident District Commissioners, police commanders, religious leaders and cultural leaders from the seven districts of Busia, Tororo, Butaleja, Budaka, Kibuku, Butebo and Pallisa.

Echodu aims to mobilise support for President Museveni’s re-election bid by leveraging his grassroots networks and leadership experience. His strategy emphasises unity, development and inclusive leadership, aligning with the needs of the region.

"Despite the differences we have, let’s exercise the power of unity of purpose so that we can cause change by massively voting for the president. We plan to win big for the President, and Bukedi should be at the negotiating table soon after the election is done because of the massive votes the president garnered."

Defence minister Jacob Oboth encouraged flag bearers to use available infrastructure to mobilise support for the President. He also urged members to work as a team and avoid undermining each other.

"You should desist from fighting each other. Let us unite and mobilise support for all the NRM flag bearers," he said.

Oboth further cautioned security personnel not to allow themselves to be used to cause unrest during the election period.

Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi criticised security agencies for creating scenes that boosted opposition leaders such as National Unity Platform head Robert Kyagulanyi in the previous elections by blocking them in towns.

Opendi also pointed to a lack of transparency in resource management and the tendency to support independent candidates over party flag bearers as key drivers of division within the party.

Tororo South County MP Frederick Angura urged members to learn from past mistakes, warning against a culture where candidates only campaign for themselves without supporting the President.

He stressed that local leaders should be entrusted with mobilisation and campaign duties, rather than outsiders who, in his view, often come to enjoy hotel comforts without doing meaningful work.

Minister Mulimba echoed concerns over internal contradictions and misconduct, saying these were weakening the party. He accused some members of pretending to be NRM supporters while failing to mobilise effectively.

Mulimba also questioned how the President could have lost in Busia in the previous elections despite the party having structures reaching down to the grassroots, unlike the opposition.