The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party is set to embark on mobilization campaigns to revive its support in Luwero district ahead of primaries and general elections in 2026.
In the 2021 general elections, President Yoweri Museveni registered the biggest drop in popularity in Luwero district since he came to Power in 1986. Museveni obtained only 41,166 votes (27.94%) and his arch-rival NUP Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu scored 103,782 votes (70.45%).
The party also lost all four Member of Parliament slots and the LCV Chairperson seat to National Unity Platform (NUP) candidates.
Since then NRM Party has been drawing strategies to reclaim the seats and revive President Museveni’s support in the area.
Now the NRM Secretariat is set to embark on mobilization campaigns starting next month to recruit supporters and as well as revamp its support.
The mobilization campaigns will be led by NRM Deputy Secretary General Rosemary Namayanja, State Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye, Office of Resident District Commissioner, and NRM District Party Executive Committee members among other leaders.
The team is set to hold meetings in town councils and sub-counties to drum support for the party.
Kyofatogabye who is also eyeing the Nakaseke Central Member of Parliament seat says that some of the issues that led to the party to lose support have been addressed by the government whereas others were the result of neglecting the youths who are key voters.
Kyofatogabye says that the government has elevated and equipped Luwero Hospital, embarked on upgrading Luwero-Butalangu road, and set to construct district headquarters among others which were long outstanding pledges for the area.
Kyofatogabye says that they seek to use the meetings to explain government interventions and correct mistakes that led to party loss of votes in past elections.
Ronald Ndawula, the Luwero District NRM Chairman says that residents have regretted voting for opposition candidates because they have not lobbied for any new project.
Ndawula says that during meetings, they want to remind the electorate to make better choices in upcoming elections so that they don’t lose another term.
But Erastus Kibirango, the LCV Chairperson who was voted on the NUP ticket says that the little achieved in the area is due to pressure and messages sent by voters to the NRM government through voting opposition candidates.
Kibirango adds that the NRM government faces an uphill task to reclaim the seats because the area still has several pledges that have not yet been fulfilled. He listed some of the unfulfilled pledges as an upgrade of the Wobulenzi-Zirobwe-Kayunga road, construction of a pineapple factory, compensation of veterans, and upgrade of health centers among others.
Kibirango also decried rampant unemployment and land grabbing which have made the NRM leadership unpopular in the area.
Richard Bwabye the Luwero Resident District Commissioner insists that his office has neutralised land conflicts and put up mechanisms to ensure that no person is evicted from his land regarding the President’s directive.
Last year, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja together with Deputy NRM Secretary General Rosemary Namayanja made several tours to Luwero to ask people to get involved in government programs that are aimed at uplifting them from poverty and as well as mobilize support for the NRM party ahead of 2026.
Nabbanja also scoffed at residents for voting for opposition candidates who can’t approach President Museveni to remind him about the unfulfilled pledges.
It remains to be seen whether NRM will be able to reclaim the seats and regain its lost support in the district ahead of the 2026 general elections.
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