President Museveni Launches Intensive NRM Grassroots Mobilisation Drive in Mayuge Ahead of 2026 Elections

Mayuge District — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed newly-elected National Resistance Movement (NRM) district chairpersons to expand the party’s presence into every village and workplace as the ruling party kicks off an intensified nationwide mobilisation campaign ahead of the 2026 general elections.

Speaking on Tuesday evening at Mayuge State Lodge while flagging off the mobilisation drive, the President congratulated the new district leaders—many of whom are young—before urging them to appreciate that leadership goes beyond age.

“You cannot simply say, ‘We are young.’ Youth is biology; politics needs ideology,” Museveni cautioned. “It is important that you understand the ideology of the NRM.”

A New Grassroots Strategy

Museveni unveiled a mobilisation blueprint that district chairpersons and their teams will now take to parishes, villages, and workplaces. He said the strategy was developed after wide consultations aimed at strengthening local structures and ensuring uniform messaging.

Central to the plan is the principle of contacting citizens where they live and work. Museveni instructed the chairpersons to establish permanent party mobilisers in factories, markets, hotels, schools, and other workplaces.

He noted that schools already host patriotic clubs, which the NRM should utilise to reach young people, including those below voting age. He also emphasised the importance of engaging community influencers such as taxi drivers who interact with dozens of people daily.

Parish-by-Parish Engagement

Under the new arrangement, mobilisation teams will operate parish by parish, meeting the 63 recognised local leaders in each village. With an average parish comprising about five villages, Museveni said this approach enables the party to directly interface with nearly 400 grassroots leaders at once.

“This ensures that the message is accurate, consistent, and reaches every corner,” he explained.

Museveni projected that if each of the 63 village leaders mobilises at least three additional supporters, the NRM could directly reach over 14 million people across Uganda’s 72,000 villages.

Showcasing Achievements, Addressing Challenges

The mobilisation message highlights the NRM’s record, including the growth in factories, schools, health centres, and road networks. Museveni, however, acknowledged persistent challenges, especially in road reconstruction, which he attributed to “poor prioritisation” by some civilian leaders.

“We, the bush people, believe in doing the most important things first with the little money available,” he said. “Roads must take precedence over salaries and new administrative units.”

He criticised leaders who “scatter resources in pursuit of cheap popularity,” arguing that this compromises national priorities.

Taking on the Opposition

Museveni dismissed claims made by some opposition presidential candidates, accusing them of spreading falsehoods and acting on behalf of foreign powers “that fear Uganda becoming strong.” He said the new mobilisation approach will empower elected party structures to counter misinformation and maintain direct contact with citizens.

“For the first time, those elected to do the work will be deployed to actually do that work,” he said. “If someone is elected to do something, let him do it.”

NRM Secretariat Sets the Pace

NRM Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, said the mobilisation drive will ensure district campaign committees remain active long after presidential rallies have moved to other areas.

He revealed that the system will enhance the party’s ability to secure votes consistently and systematically, instead of relying on last-minute campaign surges.

High-Level Attendance

The launch was attended by members of the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC), senior party secretariat officials, district and city chairpersons, and sub-regional coordinators—signalling the party’s resolve to operationalise a more structured and accountable ground campaign.

As the 2026 elections draw nearer, the NRM hopes that this renewed, methodical, and village-centered mobilisation effort will consolidate its nationwide support and strengthen its organisational presence at the grassroots.