Infighting must stop: Kigongo rallies NRM ahead of Museveni’s launch

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President Yoweri Museveni will today, September 30, 2025, officially kick off his 2026 election campaign with a grand rally at Bukalasa playgrounds in Luwero. 

The district carries historic significance as the cradle of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

The campaign launch comes just a day after the NRM unveiled its 2026–2031 manifesto, which the party describes as a blueprint to “protect Uganda’s gains and drive the country into a qualitative leap toward high middle-income status.”

Addressing the party faithful ahead of the rally, NRM first vice-chairperson Moses Kigongo delivered a firm message of unity and discipline, warning that internal wrangles could undermine the party’s prospects.

“We are ready, the country is ready. However, we need to pull up on discipline. If we don’t pull up on discipline, things might be very difficult for us,” Kigongo said.

“First of all, let’s love one another. This infighting must stop and stop now. Let’s move together as one group and work together. We must use our structures. And this time round, things are going to be very easy for us. If we use our structures, things will be easy for us.”

The nomination

President Museveni, who is both NRM national chairperson (2025–2031) and flag-bearer for the presidential race, expressed gratitude to the party leadership and grassroots supporters for their continued trust in his leadership.

“First of all, I want to thank the NRM fraternity and leadership for being strong with NRM all these years,” Museveni said.

“Secondly, I want to thank you for supporting my candidature — first of all, for electing me as the NRM chairperson again for another five years, 2025 to 2031, and then also electing me as flag bearer for the presidential contest for the period 2026–2031. Thank you very much.”

Museveni paid special tribute to his nominators, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda and his granddaughter, Charity Lenia from Arua, before underscoring the NRM’s record of governance.

“Now here, with the Manifesto. We are not just about talking about the Manifesto. We are talking about the work of the NRM for Uganda and with Uganda for the last 60 years,” the president stated.

Hundreds of supporters

The Bukalasa rally has drawn hundreds of supporters from across the greater Luweero region, setting the tone for the party’s nationwide campaign trail.

Analysts view the choice of Luweero as symbolic, tying Museveni’s 2026 bid to the revolutionary legacy that birthed the NRM government nearly four decades ago.

Inside the NRM manifesto

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party says it believes in transparency and accountability as the hallmarks of good leadership.

It, therefore, says that as it asks Ugandans to renew its political mandate in the new kisanja (term of office) of 2026-2031, it must, first and foremost, give accountability for the 2021-2025 kisanja.

“Thus, in our manifesto, we clearly show performance over the last five years, pointing out both the achievements and unfinished business. We are concluding the term with an excellent scorecard, having delivered on most of the promises which we made to the people of Uganda,” it says.

Five years ago, the ruling party says, it promised Ugandans five key deliverables: recovering the economy from COVID-19 and other shocks, and creating jobs and wealth for all Ugandans; continuing to offer Ugandans free education, healthcare and clean water, and ensuring justice and equity by maintaining law and order.

Other promised key deliverables were: protecting the life and property of all their people, and deepening economic integration to secure markets for our wealth creators.

“In total, we made 809 commitments/promises to Ugandans. Dear Ugandans, NRM is a reliable and accountable political organisation. Not even COVID-19, Ebola, international and regional conflicts, inflation in the global economy and high interest rates that plagued the world during the last kisanja could stop us from delivering on our promises,” it says.

The party says it has delivered 698 out of the 809 commitments/promises it made five years ago, which translates to 86.3%, and “this, by all standards, is a grade for A-Students”.

“In this manifesto, we are committing to protect the gains of the people of Uganda that the NRM was, right from the beginning, ready to die for,” it says.

In the next five years, NRM says its efforts will be centred on growing the economy and creating wealth; infrastructure development; human capital development; democracy, good governance and security; and regional integration and political federation.