Kyagulanyi starts Namutumba, Bugweri campaigns

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National Unity Platform flag-bearer for the 2026 General Election presidential campaigns, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has today, October 2, 2025, kicked off his political mobilisation campaigns in the districts of Namutumba and Bugweri as part of his ongoing tour of Busoga region in eastern Uganda.

Kyagulanyi, who is launching his second bid after losing to President Yoweri Museveni in 2021, left Jinja at about 10:40am on Thursday and proceeded to Namutumba, where enthusiastic supporters lined roads to welcome him. He is also expected to address his supporters in Bugweri district.

Dressed in a black outfit and accompanied by NUP secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya, Kyagulanyi appeared confident and energised as he launched into the day’s activities.

Unlike previous stops on the tour, the NUP team refrained from speaking to the press, amid swirling media reports that two Kenyan activists: Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, had allegedly been abducted in Kampala while trailing the Opposition leader’s campaign.

When briefly approached for comment, Rubongoya said: I would not be comfortable speaking on that matter now. Not yet! We will talk about it later.

Reports indicate that Njagi and Oyoo, who are members of the Free Kenya Movement, were taken by unknown armed men in Kireka, a Kampala suburb, shortly after participating in Kyagulanyi’s rallies in eastern Uganda. Their phones were switched off shortly after the alleged abduction and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Despite the reports, Kyagulanyi pushed forward with his campaign, addressing rallies in Namutumba and later in Bugweri, where he urged residents to vote for NUP. 

He has since launched his tour to Busoga, emphasising the need for peaceful political transition and the role of young people in shaping Uganda’s future.

​Kyagulanyi further promised to tackle poverty head-on by harnessing the region's rich mineral resources.

"These things you see can change if we use the resources well," he said. He specifically mentioned the recent discovery of Uranium, which he claimed the government has deliberately kept a secret from the local population. New Vision Online, however, could not verify such claims. The International Atomic Energy Agency in 2024 said: Several areas in Uganda have been identified as potentially uranium-rich, though no proven resources are currently known to exist. Exploration practices to make a final determination involve activities such as radiometric surveys and taking geochemical samples.  

It also quotes energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa as saying:  The government of Uganda is committed to adopting international best practices, and this IAEA mission will ensure uranium exploration is done according to international standards.

The NUP campaign caravan is expected to continue its journey across Busoga in the coming days, with stops planned in districts including Iganga, Kaliro and Kamuli.

Security in the region remains tight, with Police vehicles observed at various campaign sites. No incidents of violence or disruption were reported during the campaign events.

Kyagulanyi is widely seen as President Yoweri Museveni’s main challenger in the lead-up to the 2026 general election. 

Other Candidates in the race are Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party (NPP), Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party (CP), Nandala Mafabi of the Forum For Democratic Change (FDC), Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance of National Transformation, Mubarak Munyagwa of Common Man's Party (CMP) and  Frank Bulira of Revolutionary People's Party (RPP).