Supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Masindi district have endorsed President Yoweri Kaguta to stand for president in 2026.
This was during the belated World AIDS day celebrations at Booma grounds in Masindi municipality on December 6 which was presided over by Internal Affairs Minister, Major General Kahinda Otafiire.
Kabakumba Labbwoni Masiko, the Masindi district NRM party chairperson flanked by the Sub-County chairpersons and other party leaders in the district, unanimously supported the motion before signing on the gigantic banner bearing Museveni’s picture as a gesture of endorsing his candidature.
”Our President and the party chairperson is still strong and the most capable person to lead Uganda and we feel he should continue doing so that and we are here to endorse him as our party’s sole candidate in the coming elections”, said Kabakumba, a former Bujenje County legislator who once held juicy cabinet positions.
The other party members who endorsed Museveni’s sole candidature included the Woman Member of Parliament (MP) for Masindi district Dr. Florence Asiimwe, former Masindi Municipality legislator who also served as State Minister for Bunyoro affairs, Ernest Kiiza, the former woman MP Masindi district, Jalia Bintu Lukumu, Masindi district Chairperson, Cosmas Byaruhanga and his councilors and Masindi Municipality Mayor, Ronald Kyomuhendo Businge.
Otafiire, an NRM Central Executive Committee member, welcomed the leaders’ gesture arguing that Museveni has led the country well and he is still strong and capable of leading it.
”Museveni is intellectually alert. Leadership is brain not body size,” Otafiire said.
He castigated those criticising Museveni’s endorsement, advising the party leaders not to stop at just endorsing Museveni’s candidature but campaign for him and the other party leaders so that they can win the next elections.
Museveni now 77 came into power after a five-year guerilla war in 1986.
He will have led Uganda for 40 years at the end of the current term in 2026 when Uganda will go to the polls whose previous campaigns have been marred by violence.
Human rights groups have accused security forces of using excessive force to break up opposition rallies during campaigns which also culminate into the killing of opponents.
But the government says most opposition candidates do not comply with the public order management Act, 2013 which analysts say was introduced to further curtail the activities of opponents.
The country’s constitutional court on March 26, 2020 declared Section 8 of the Act, which used to give the Inspector General of Police powers to arbitrarily prevent or stop public rallies, unconstitutional.
Otafiire used the event to urge the Ugandans to work hard so that they can liberate themselves from poverty, adding that a poor person cannot enter heaven.
“How can a person who doesn’t love him or herself love God and how can one who does love God enter his Kingdom,” he asked.
Masindi joins a number of other places whose leaders want Museveni to contest for President in 2026.
Museveni’s supporters support him for ushering in peace, economic growth and his policies on health and agriculture, but with little success to end poverty and unemployment where majority live on less than a dollar in a day.