Leaders of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Masaka City and Masaka District have appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to rein in voter intimidation, which they say is undermining their mobilisation efforts ahead of the next general election.
The leaders say NRM supporters are facing threats and harassment because of their political affiliation, forcing many to conceal their support for the ruling party.
Addressing President Museveni during his campaign rally at Masaka Liberation Grounds, Masaka City, NRM Chairperson Rogers Buregeya said intimidation by opposition supporters has made it difficult for party members to mobilise openly at the grassroots.
He warned that unless the situation is addressed, the party risks another poor performance in the coming elections due to fear among its supporters.
Similar concerns were raised by Justine Nameere, the NRM candidate for Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament. She attributed the low turnout at the rally to fear and intimidation.
Nameere asked President Museveni to direct security agencies to restrain opposition actors accused of threatening NRM supporters and defacing campaign posters. She also urged the President to stop local governments from imposing daily levies on small-scale vendors in urban centres, saying the charges burden ordinary citizens.
In response, President Museveni said his government would not tolerate any form of intimidation against Ugandans. He instructed security agencies to compile a detailed report on the reported incidents so that action can be taken against those responsible.
Museveni also urged residents of Masaka to reconsider voting for opposition leaders, arguing that they have failed to effectively lobby for socio-economic transformation in the region.
He promised that in the next term, the government would intensify investment in irrigation farming to boost agricultural production, promote value addition, and expand skills development programmes for the youth.
The President further called on voters to elect leaders capable of monitoring government projects and programmes to ensure they benefit local communities.
Masaka has been a stronghold of the opposition in recent elections. In the 2021 general election, President Museveni won only five out of 191 polling stations in Masaka City.
Out of 70,791 votes cast, he garnered 14,992 votes (21.56%), while National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Robert Kyagulanyi secured 53,444 votes (77.18%).
In Masaka District, Museveni obtained 11,317 votes (32.7%) out of 36,146 ballots, compared to Kyagulanyi’s 23,132 votes (66.17%).
The NRM also failed to secure any parliamentary seats in both Masaka City and the district. However, Buregeya said NRM mobilisation teams are working to reverse the opposition’s dominance and regain political ground in the region ahead of the next elections.
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