Excitement as Kikuube NRM leaders receive 100 youth saying from NUP

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Kikuube district witnessed jubilant scenes as National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders officially welcomed over 100 youth who recently said they had defected from the leading Opposition political party, National Unity Platform (NUP).

The January 31, 2025, ceremony held at Sir Tito Winyi Primary School in Kikuube town council marked a political shift as these young people publicly abandoned Opposition ranks to embrace the ruling party.

The youth had earlier announced their defection on December 13, 2025, during President Yoweri Museveni's re-election campaign tour of Kikuube, but they were on Wednesday formally received by the presidential private secretary on political and diaspora affairs, Henry Wabyona, alongside the district leadership during a function that celebrated their decision to join NRM.

Henry Wabyona, the Presidential Private Secretary on Political and Diaspora matter addressing the youth who crossed over. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

Resident District Commissioner Godwine Agalia Kasigwa said the youth crossed over after NRM leaders engaged them and elaborated on the party's achievements. He revealed that the defectors symbolically handed over their NUP party cards, T-shirts, caps and umbrellas as tangible proof of their political transition.

Agalia praised their decision, saying they had joined "the winning party, which understands the challenges of all Ugandans, including the youth."

He warned against political opportunists, challenging the new members to "ignore self-seekers who want to use them for their self-political interest but instead support NRM because it has a good future for Uganda."

Agalia urged the youth to become active recruiters, challenging them to "go and mobilise their colleagues who are still in the Opposition to join NRM." 

Recognising the vulnerability of young people to political manipulation, he made a specific appeal to the president's office to take "the youth to Kyankwanzi leadership institute to orient them about NRM ideology, adding that youth are easily manipulated due to lack of ideological orientation."

Security concerns

Security concerns were also addressed by Brig. Gen. Omero Tingira Irumba Ateenyi, the National Security Task Force Cluster Head for Kikuube.

He delivered a powerful warning against election violence, stating: "You are young people, you do not know where this country has come from, this country has come from far. So, you should not accept to be used to disorganise the peace we have been protecting. We have peace, and it's our duty as youth to protect it for the continuity."

Kikuube NRM chairperson Francis Kazini, also Buhaguzi County Member of Parliament, reinforced the party's achievements as justification for the youth's decision.

He said the tangible developments, including peace, development projects such as construction of tarmac roads and oil development, are a testament to NRM achievement that need to be protected.

Kazini also urged the youth to "advocate for co-existence to ensure peace."

Brig. Gen. Omero Tingira Irumba Ateenyi, the National security task force cluster head for kikuube district warned youth against being used by politicians to engage in election-related violence. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)

The presidential message, delivered by Wabyona, focused on economic empowerment as the path to dignity. He rallied the youth to embrace wealth creation programmes, "The president is saying we should all have money in our pocket, when you do not have money, you will be undermined, you will not have respect in your family, so let us work hard and have income-generating activities for ourselves."

Wabyona outlined concrete plans for integrating the defectors into government initiatives, explaining that his office "is going to work hand in hand with the district leaders to mobilise the defectors (youth) into groups and make them join different government programmes such as PDM and Emyooga for their financial empowerment."

He also revealed an educational pathway, adding that "they are also engaging the defectors to see that those who are interested in going back to school to be recruited in Masindi presidential Industrial hub and get equipped with skills."