‘Stand with us, bless that peaceful transition to Muhoozi’

WAKISO - The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has appealed to religious leaders to pray and bless President Yoweri Museveni to hand over power to his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, in what will be Uganda’s first peaceful transition.

“We appeal to you to stand with us and bless that peaceful transition. We want to witness the first transition when H.E. President Yoweri Museveni is handing over power to his son,” said Fadil Twalla, the general secretary of PLU and MP for Tingey County in Kapchorwa.

The PLU Secretary General, Fadil Twalla, addresses religious leaders during a breakfast meeting at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel, Kigo, in Wakiso district on Friday, November 05th, 2026. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

He was Friday addressing religious leaders who gathered at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel, Kigo, for a national religious leaders’ breakfast meeting organised by Pastor Vincent Museveni in collaboration with the PLU Secretariat.

Prominent among the leaders were Bishop Moses Odongo, the overseer of the Pentecostal Churches of Uganda, Apostle Dr. Joseph Sserwadda of Victory Christian Church Ndeeba and a member of the Interreligious Religious Council of Uganda, Pastor Robert Kayanja from Miracle Centre, Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga from the Christian Life Church, Apostle John Bunjo from Christian Restoration Ministry, Bishop Patrick Makumbi of Gospel Healing Centre and Pastor Tom Mugerwa from Mutundwe Christian Fellowship.

Others were Apostle Grace Lubega, the overseer of Phanero Ministries International, Pastor Umaru Mulinde from Gospel Life Church International, Bishop David Kiganda from Christianity Focus Ministries, Imelda Namutebi from Liberty Worship Centre, Rev. Stephen Bamutungire, who represented the Church of Uganda, and Father Jude Tumusiime, who represented the Roman Catholic Church.

Other religious leaders represented the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Watoto Church, among others.

“The list of guests here was carefully selected and was approved by our chairman, Gen. Muhoozi, who accepted a request from the organising committee to set a day for all religions to pray together for the transition,” Twalla said.

The meeting later agreed to organise the national day of prayer in the third week of January next year.

Twalla said Gen. Muhoozi, who is the Chief of Defence Forces, is passionate about the coming event and promised to attend in person.

Twalla explained to the leaders that PLU is not a political party, but a civic organisation, and that its mother party is the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

They use PLU to correct a number of issues in the government including fighting corruption.

Several leaders, however, confessed that they did not know the relationship between NRM and PLU and said they thought it was a breakaway party from the NRM.

“Our chairman believes that we cannot achieve national unity without blessings from religious leaders,” Twalla said, and disclosed that there was no need to hide anymore that the country is facing a transition.

“Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transition; all the previous transitions have been chaotic, but this time we need your prayers for peace to prevail," he said, and called upon men and women of God to guide their followers on this matter.

“We want you (religious leaders) to start telling people about the transition because even President Museveni knows that Ugandans are demanding it,” he stated.

He added, “If we take the word of PLU in all Churches and Mosques, and explain to believers all what we believe and stand for, many more people will believe us.”

He confirmed to the guests that Gen. Muhoozi is a believer and pledged that PLU will work with them. He assured the born-again leaders (balokole) of PLU’s protection, saying no body has the capacity to fight them.

He was reacting to Pastors Mulinde, Kayanja, Apostle Lubega, and several other religious leaders who complained against their member, Frank Gashumba, who they said had opened war against several pastors, referring to them as fake and bogus.

“As PLU, we put a disclaimer that if anybody attacks balokole, he does so as an individual; Gen Muhoozi stands with you and be assured that you are protected,” Twalla said, adding that PLU believes in the role of faith.

Pastor Sserwadda and Bishop Kiganda asked Gen Muhoozi to begin associating with religious leaders and let them lay their hands on him before the national prayers.

Bishop Odongo confirmed that he received a letter from PLU distancing itself from attacks on some balokole Pastors.

Pastor Kayanja, however, defended Gen. Muhoozi as a believer who even used to preach the word of God during his school days at King's College Budo. 

He said the general's wife is a born-again Christian and that he comes from a strong family of believers, including Mama Janet Museveni, who loves religion.

“We have enjoyed the peace under President Museveni; we want this to continue; nobody should doubt the role of religion in the government,” he said.

Pastor Ssenyonga, however, asked PLU to listen to Gashumba instead of dismissing him, saying his war was directed at specific issues that have already been handled in the balokole fraternity. 

The meeting was attended by the PLU administrator, Pascal Natamba and the commissioner for external affairs, Stephen Rutasharara.