PLU Mobilises LC Leaders, Boda Boda Operators for Muhoozi Endorsement Rally in Mbale

The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has intensified grassroots mobilisation in Mbale City, engaging local council leaders and boda boda operators to rally support for its planned October 24 gathering at Mbale Cricket Ground, where supporters intend to endorse Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as a potential successor to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The mobilisation drive gained momentum on Monday as lawyer Paul Mugoya Wanyoto(PO/049), who hosted the engagements, joined the Bugisu PLU organising committee in consultative meetings with LC I and LC II chairpersons at the Northern City Division headquarters before meeting leaders of Mbale City boda boda riders.

The engagements were aimed at building support among community leaders and transport operators, whom organisers consider instrumental in mobilising residents and welcoming visitors expected to attend the endorsement gathering.

The planned baraza is part of PLU's broader political mobilisation campaign in the Bugisu sub-region, aimed at consolidating grassroots backing for Gen. Kainerugaba, the organisation's national chairman, amid discussions about political succession after President Museveni.

PLU seeks grassroots support

Abdallah Difee, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairperson for Sironko Town Council and head of the organising committee, thanked the local council leaders for attending the consultative meeting and called on them to mobilise residents from their respective villages and communities.

Difee emphasised that the participation of grassroots leaders would be crucial to the success of the October 24 event, noting that their positions place them in direct contact with residents who are expected to attend the gathering.

The organisers are seeking to establish a broad mobilisation network across Mbale City and the surrounding Bugisu communities to increase participation at Mbale Cricket Ground.

Hajji Isma Mukakandi, the Bugisu regional PLU coordinator, underscored the importance of involving local council leaders in preparations, particularly because Mbale City will host the event.

“Our message is about the endorsement of General MK. We are asking you, as hosts, to welcome our visitors to the city. You are our village presidents, and we cannot successfully organise this event without you,” Mukakandi told the leaders.

He urged the LC I and LC II chairpersons to attend the function and encourage residents in their respective areas to participate, presenting their involvement as central to the organisers' efforts to achieve a successful gathering.

The consultations reflect PLU's efforts to use existing community leadership structures to extend its political mobilisation beyond the organisation's immediate membership.

Boda boda riders pledge support

The organising committee also reached out to Mbale City's boda boda operators, whose mobility and extensive presence across neighbourhoods make them an important constituency in local political mobilisation.

Hussein, the Mbale City boda boda chairperson, pledged to work with the organising committee to mobilise riders for the October 24 gathering.

He said he would coordinate members of the association to support preparations and encourage fellow operators to turn up in large numbers. 

Hussein cited Mukakandi's previous support for boda boda operators during the enforcement of new taxes as one of the reasons for his willingness to cooperate with the mobilisation team.

He also called on riders to participate in welcoming visitors expected in Mbale for the event, adding to the organisers' efforts to secure support from different groups within the city.

The engagement with boda boda leaders forms part of the wider strategy to involve community-based organisations and local interest groups in preparations for the planned endorsement rally. 

Deputy RCC calls for mobilisation

Hamza Banja, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) in charge of Mbale Industrial City Division, also urged local council leaders to support the mobilisation campaign.

Banja described the NRM and PLU as closely aligned political organisations, arguing that there was little distinction between the two in their political orientation.

“There is no difference between NRM and PLU; they are the same,” Banja said.

He encouraged the leaders to intensify mobilisation ahead of the October 24 gathering and support the political transition advocated by PLU supporters, who want Gen. Kainerugaba to succeed President Museveni.

His remarks highlighted the political message underpinning the mobilisation drive, which seeks to build support for Kainerugaba's potential future leadership while drawing on networks associated with the ruling NRM.

Security assurances issued

Mbale City Resident City Commissioner George William Wopuwa, who oversees security in the city, assured the organisers and local council leaders that security arrangements would be put in place to protect participants during the function.

The assurance comes as organisers prepare to receive supporters and visitors at Mbale Cricket Ground for the planned baraza.

The security arrangements are expected to be an important part of preparations for the gathering, given the anticipated attendance and the involvement of political supporters from across the Bugisu sub-region. 

Political significance of the October 24 gathering

The planned endorsement gathering represents another step in PLU's efforts to expand its grassroots presence in eastern Uganda and rally support for Gen. Kainerugaba's political ambitions.

By engaging LC I and LC II chairpersons, boda boda leaders and other community figures, the organisation is seeking to establish a mobilisation structure capable of drawing participants from across Mbale City and neighbouring areas.

The involvement of local political and administrative leaders also illustrates how the preparations are bringing together community mobilisation, political advocacy and security planning ahead of the event.

However, the extent of public turnout and the breadth of support for the proposed endorsement will become clearer when the gathering takes place on October 24.

For now, the PLU organising team is concentrating on expanding its outreach, coordinating local leaders and encouraging residents and boda boda operators to attend the event at Mbale Cricket Ground.

The gathering is expected to provide a platform for PLU supporters to publicly express their position on Gen. Kainerugaba's political future as debates about leadership succession continue within Uganda's political landscape.