Muntu rallies Ugandans to fund political parties

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Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential flag-bearer Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu has urged citizens to invest in their political parties. He made the call during a campaign stop at Igambiro Primary School in Mitooma district today, October 2, 2025.

Where he discovered that after only one teacher, Pellan Tukamushaba, who is paid off with Parents Teacher Association (PTA) money, had reported to coach Primary Seven pupils. The rest of her 11 colleagues reportedly stayed at home in observance of the ongoing teachers' strike. The school boasts over 300 pupils.

The appeal came a day after his party launched a fundraising drive to support its ongoing campaigns.

Speaking to the press, Muntu dismissed claims that presidential candidates had received campaign funds from the Electoral Commission (EC). He clarified that, apart from limited funding that the Electoral Commission (EC) periodically allocates to political parties with parliamentary representation, no such funds had been given to presidential candidates.

It should be noted that ANT is not a party to the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) financing since they have no MP in the August House (Parliament) at the moment.

“The candidates pay shillings 20 million for nominations. The only thing that EC does for us is to give an escort vehicle and to pay the Police escorts and fuel the escort vehicles. The rest is on the candidates. They don’t even give one shilling to the candidates,” Muntu said.

According to Muntu, it is through citizen investment that political parties can build capacity. Additionally, he said such an undertaking would act as a sort of litmus test through which they can be held to account.

Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential flag-bearer Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

Voters listening to Muntu. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

(Credit: Stuart Yiga)

“It is a test ground for us. The moment we get money from citizens, the manner in which we use it and account for it would reflect on us. The citizens would be able to understand who we are, even in terms of managing resources,” he argued.

“Suppose they contribute like shillings 10 billion a year, if you mismanage that, how will you manage trillions of a country?” Muntu added.

Dark forces

Although Muntu argued that while Uganda’s current crop of political actors is ideologically grounded, he warned that citizens’ failure to fund political parties was dangerous.

“Globally, there are forces that have a lot of money; they look for countries where they can invest to get protection. Groups, for example, which are involved in human trafficking, drug trafficking, and groups which have their own agenda but can negatively affect people in a country. There is money floating there. I can tell you if we wanted money of that nature, we would have a lot of money that we can put into this," he said.

"But the problem with it is that it has strings attached. The moment you get into power, it means you must create security for those groups and it becomes dangerous for the country and citizens... We have seen countries where these cartels literally take over the Government," Muntu added. 

“You arts teachers have a problem; let them keep squeezing you. They deceive you for five, 10 years, and you still believe them. You are educated people; join us, and together we can remove this Government,” Muntu said.

Campaign stops

From Igambiro, Muntu went to Katenga, where he reminded residents of what he called the historical error leaders made to remove term limits in 2005 and asked them to make good on this by voting out President Yoweri Museveni in the 2026 Presidential elections.

From there, he visited the Mitooma town council, where he expressed concern about the plight of poor health services and huge out-of-pocket expenditure, coupled with poor education services.

Worse still, Muntu noted that while many agree with his views, he remains baffled by why citizens often vote otherwise.

From there, he went to Kabira town, still in Mitooma, where he reminded natives that he was the much sought-after ‘medicine’ that would resuscitate the country. Adding that he is not a slave to money, positions and truthful.