Uganda is heading to the polls in early 2026, and presidential campaigns officially began last week. Uganda’s long-time ruler, Yoweri Museveni, is among the candidates seeking a seventh term in office. His main challenger, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, popularly known as Bobi Wine, who gave Museveni a tough contest in the previous election, is also back in the race. Although Museveni was declared the winner then, the election was marred by serious irregularities and failed to meet international standards. Over 100 of Bobi Wine’s supporters were killed on November 18th and 19th, 2020, and many of those arrested during the last elections remain imprisoned on trumped-up charges. Others who were abducted such as Kanata, Ddamulira, and Kibalama have never been seen again and are suspected to have been killed by the Special Forces Command (SFC), led by Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba an LDU man who was just smuggled into updf without attaining basic training skills for a soldier. Their bodies are believed to have been disposed of secretly.
Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, former Kyadondo East legislators, was recently nominated and held a massive rally on the same day, which brought business to a standstill in Kampala. That same week, he officially opened the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters for Western Uganda a facility built secretly without the knowledge of Museveni’s so called tough spy network, which only discovered it at the launch. Earlier, Bobi Wine had opened the NUP headquarters for Eastern Uganda in Iganga Municipality, catching Museveni’s security agencies off guard and rendering his intelligence agencies useless.
A week later, Kyagulanyi officially launched his presidential campaign in the Busoga sub-region, Eastern Uganda, starting in Jinja City, where he unveiled an 11-point manifesto titled “A New Uganda Now.” The manifesto focuses on wide-ranging reforms, with key priorities including:
Economy and Governance: Reducing the size of government by trimming the cabinet to 20 ministers, cutting the number of MPs, and lowering their salaries.
Health and Education: Increasing funding to both sectors by 15%.
Infrastructure and Energy: Providing free rural electrification and reducing electricity tariffs by half.
Security and Human Rights: Ending the trial of civilians in military courts.
Employment and the Economy: Creating at least 5 million jobs through industrialization and investment in technology.
Other commitments include promoting gender equality, empowering women, supporting persons with disabilities, and fostering national unity and healing in war-torn communities.
Bobi Wine spent several days in Busoga, visiting all districts except Iganga, where police blocked his entry. He, however, vowed to return and campaign there later.
At the beginning of October, the presidential hopeful launched his Buganda campaign. During the 2021 elections, he was forced to suspend his campaign in the region after his entire advance team was arrested. Many of his close aides remain detained on fabricated charges, repeatedly denied bail by courts that appear to act under Museveni’s influence.
His personal bodyguard, Edward Ssebufu, popularly known as Eddy Mutwe, was abducted by the SFC and allegedly tortured under the supervision of Muhoozi Kainerugaba. When relatives and colleagues were searching for him, Muhoozi shamelessly posted a photo of the naked and tortured Mutwe on his X (Twitter) account, claiming to be “teaching him Runyankole.” Another NUP official, Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, the party’s deputy spokesperson, was also abducted and tortured in solitary confinement before being charged in court on false accusations.
Numerous NUP supporters have been abducted some are still missing, while others who survived the torture chambers have shared horrific experiences, including rape, sexual assault, and physical mutilation. Many victims say they were targeted because they are Baganda, the same ethnic group as Kyagulanyi. Others, like Ms. Marinos, were released only to die later from torture-related injuries.
As Kyagulanyi began his campaign in Buganda, police responded with brutality. On the very first day, 29 people were arrested and three killed when a police vehicle rammed into them. NUP enjoys overwhelming support in Buganda, which is Bobi Wine’s home region.
Before starting his official campaign, prominent Buganda elders and opinion leaders including former Katikkiros Owek. Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere and Owek. Dan Muliika, as well as former Minister of Buganda and MP for Kyamuswa County, Hon. Israel Mayengo paid a courtesy visit to Kyagulanyi’s home. Although details of their meeting were not made public, Mr. Kamya Rchard the leader of Nup South Africa chapter interpreted it as a silent endorsement of Kyagulanyi’s presidential bid by Buganda’s elite. “Buganda have long standing influence in Uganda’s history dating back from the time of Katikiro Sir. Apollo Kaggwa and other Katikiros all played crucial role in directing and shaping Uganda, even Mr. Museveni was supported by these same people who met president Kyagulanyi, if this time they choose to endorse Kyagulanyi it’s their own right and doesn’t have to boggle anyone’s mind” says Mr. Kamya
The arrests and killings of Baganda on early day of the campaign have raised deep concern and public outrage. Many see this as a continuation of Museveni’s long-standing pattern of targeting Baganda, especially now that their son, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, has begun campaigning in the region.
On Monday, Kyagulanyi held rallies in Mityana District, where he won over 70% of the vote in the last election. His NUP party also secured three out of five parliamentary seats in the district. He campaigned in Busunju, Mityana North Constituency, urging voters to support NUP flag bearer Mr. Kintu. “There’s a man here called Lumu who uses my name to ask for votes, I never sent him. This is Kintu, the real NUP candidate. He is the one carrying our party flag. Anyone voting for me must also vote for him,” Kyagulanyi said.
He also endorsed NUP candidate Proscovia Mukisa Nabbosa in Mityana Municipality, calling on supporters to “vote for the Umbrella,” the party’s symbol.
Addressing massive crowds in Mityana, Kyagulanyi urged Ugandans to use their votes as a protest against 40 years of Museveni’s suffering. He promised to boost agriculture by supporting coffee farmers Buganda’s main cash crop and emphasized the region’s strategic importance as Uganda’s economic and political center.
As of now, Bobi Wine continues his campaign in Buganda. At the time of reporting, he was in Kassanda District, spreading his message of liberation through the power of the vote, before proceeding to Mubende and other central Buganda districts.
By Mbalire Brian Kisuule II
(Your Daily Friend)
