NRM mobilisation group says to deploy two million observers during 2026 polls

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A National Resistance Movement (NRM) party-aligned group says it will deploy thousands of volunteer observers during the 2026 General Election.

The YK Patriots say the plan is intended to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming elections.

Speaking to the media over the weekend in Kampala city, group chairperson Nuhu Yowab said the Patriots would station six observers at every of the 38,315 polling stations.

“We have over two million volunteers countrywide, each one ready to ensure the vote is protected. Every station will have six hawk-eyed members making sure no one tampers with the ballots. We have already been to Karamoja, Teso, and Bugisu, spreading the gospel of President Yoweri Museveni. As for his age, we say he is like sugar cane - the older he gets, the sweeter he becomes,” Yowab said.

The briefing, attended by party mobilisers and youth leaders, carried a consistent message: The campaigns must be peaceful. Yowab urged candidates and their supporters to “sell ideas, not insults,” warning against violence as political activity intensifies across the country.

Yowab and his colleagues credited the NRM government with building peace and stability at home and abroad. Uganda’s involvement in restoring order in Rwanda, the DR Congo and Somalia was cited as evidence of Museveni’s leadership.

NRM is always accomodating

Talik Nkata, the group’s spokesperson, dismissed fears of intimidation or voter suppression, saying the NRM has always been accommodating.

“The competitors will be disappointed this time,” Nkata said, adding: We are counting the gains like electricity generation, industrialisation, female emancipation, peace and tourism. We are urging the sick, pregnant women, and the elderly to be given priority to cast their ballot.

For the Patriots, Museveni’s long tenure is not a liability but an asset. Ezra Birime, a youth mobiliser from Busoga, argued that young people owe the President their support because of his role in laying Uganda’s economic foundation.

“Busoga will vote for NRM. The region has loved Museveni since Speciosa Kazibwe became the first female Vice-President in Africa. On her heels came Rebecca Kadaga as Speaker of Parliament, who is now in charge of EAC affairs.” Birime paused for the point to drive home. “None of this would exist without Museveni’s leadership.”

Women in leadership

The group also emphasised the President’s contribution to gender equality. Kyakuwa Mayimuna, the Patriots’ secretary, pointed to the appointment of women to top leadership positions.

“We had Dr Specioza Kazibwe as Africa’s first female Vice President. Today we have Anita Among as Speaker of Parliament, Jesca Alupo as Vice President, and many female ministers and MPs right down to the local councils,” Kyakuwa said. “That record speaks for itself. Museveni deserves another term.”

Calls for peace amid rising tensions

The Patriots’ peace-first messaging comes at a delicate moment. Uganda’s past elections have sometimes been marred by tension and violent clashes. Both the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations have warned that reckless rhetoric could escalate into chaos.

This time around, the Patriots hope to position themselves as guardians of stability. Their proposed deployment of observers, if carried out, could provide an additional layer of accountability in a contest where credibility remains a central concern.

Political analysts say such promises, combined with grassroots mobilisation and the emphasis on Museveni’s track record, are meant to reassure Ugandans that continuity offers stability. Critics, however, argue that the ruling party’s long stay in power has stifled democratic competition.

For the Patriots, the answer lies in dialogue rather than division. Yowab closed the briefing with a call to unity: “Let us not go for each other’s throats. Instead, let us talk about the Uganda we want - and how to get there together.”