Echodu credits Museveni rallies for firing up NRM enthusiasm in rainy Teso

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) national vice chairperson for eastern Uganda, David Calvin Echodu, has applauded the party’s presidential candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for bringing new energy and enthusiasm to his campaigns.

He said all leaders in the Teso sub-region were excited and encouraged by the way President Museveni has been braving the downpours to continue addressing his supporters, which he said has inspired many leaders and followers.

He noted that many supporters at the President’s rallies have now followed his example by staying through the rain, which has brought renewed energy and shown greater passion for the party.

Echodu said that since the President entered the Eastern region on October 30, 2025, and addressed his first rally in Kapelebyong district, followed by Kaberamaido, Kalaki, Katakwi, and Amuria, people have turned up in huge numbers to show their love and strong support.

“By massively attending the President’s rallies is already a big sign that he commands big support in Teso,” Echodu said.

Briefing journalists at Soroti Hotel on Sunday (November 2), Echodu said leaders and supporters initially feared that heavy downpours, which sometimes last through the night and most of the day, would discourage people from attending the President’s rallies.

“At first, it looked like a big challenge because it was raining hard, but our people have braved this heavy rain. Our candidate, the President himself, has braved the heavy downpour. This has been so encouraging, and it has inspired many of us and brought new energy,” he told journalists.

He said all the rallies have attracted massive turnouts, noting that organisers were particularly impressed by the huge crowd in Kaberamaido, one of the remotest districts in Teso, where the majority of residents are from fishing communities, yet they turned up in large numbers to listen to the NRM candidate’s message.

“We were so happy with the people of Kaberamaido, they showed our candidate great love, which was also extended to Kalaki,” he said, adding that Teso has so far been very encouraging.

According to Echodu, every rally in the region has seen improvement, with greater morale and enthusiasm, particularly at the district boma grounds in Katakwi and later in Amuria in the evening.

“We are seeing a lot of excitement everywhere about NRM, and this is so encouraging. People are bringing up their challenges, like roads, and this is good because it shows that they are confident that the President is capable of addressing these issues,” he stated.

He added, “When people don’t have trust in you, they will not bring their challenges to you, but because they see the NRM and President Museveni as a father, so they run to him and ask him to address their issues.”

Commenting on the mudslides in the Elgon region, where lives have been lost, Echodu said this was an unfortunate occurrence affecting communities in Eastern Uganda.

He, however, assured affected communities that the NRM government was handling the situation and that the minister responsible for disasters had already visited the area. “Our candidate, President Museveni, is aware of this new disaster and has sent a message to the bereaved families, and I believe the government will come with mitigation measures to address the landslide issue in Eastern Uganda,” he said.

Echodu said the party is also engaging with supporters who lost in the party primaries but chose to contest as independent candidates.

“Our goal is to make NRM stronger, harmonised and united, so we shall work towards talking and holding discussions with all those who want to contest as Independents. As long as that dialogue is on, we are confident that we shall bring them back and we shall finally get a resounding victory,” he said.

He explained that in some areas, candidates had already withdrawn in favour of official party candidates, and the party remained hopeful that more would follow suit.

Echodu also expressed satisfaction with the support the NRM is enjoying from youth and women across the country.

He said the recent NRM youth elections demonstrated that the majority of young people subscribe to the party and are confident that they will vote for President Museveni and other NRM candidates.