Museveni’s Online Defenders Step Up 2026 Campaign Battle

By Our Reporter

In Uganda’s shifting political landscape, where smartphones increasingly rival campaign rallies, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is sharpening its digital edge. At the heart of this evolution is the YKM Cyber Team, a fast-growing network of pro-Museveni activists blending online campaigns with grassroots mobilisation.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Kawempe, the group has expanded into a formidable web of more than 12,000 coordinators nationwide. What began as a cluster of online influencers is now a hybrid operation combining data-driven digital messaging with door-to-door political engagement.

“We are not just posting hashtags. We are talking to voters, debunking falsehoods, and ensuring government programmes are understood at the grassroots,” explained team chairman Were Karim.

The stakes are clear: with more than 70% of Uganda’s population under 30—most consuming news and politics through social media—the digital battleground has become central to electoral success. Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok are now political frontlines where narratives are shaped, challenged, and amplified.

The YKM Cyber Team is positioning itself as the NRM’s shield and spear in this space. Plans for the coming months include mass production of digital content, hashtag campaigns, online debates, and cyber security units to counter fake news. Offline, the team intends to mobilise through rallies, seminars, and personalised voter interactions.

For the group’s secretary, Yakubu Siraji, success lies in precision:

“We rely on analytics. We track undecided voters, identify trending issues, and craft messages that resonate with real concerns. That way, we reach people both online and in their neighbourhoods.”

The ambition is bold. With adequate facilitation, the group claims it can generate over one million monthly engagements and train 5,000 digital ambassadors to reinforce President Museveni’s 2026 re-election bid.

Analysts argue that such efforts reflect a broader shift in Uganda’s politics: campaigns are no longer confined to stadium rallies and radio talk shows. Instead, the contest for Buganda, Busoga, and northern Uganda may well be fought first on trending hashtags and WhatsApp groups before spilling into village gatherings and urban rallies.

As the countdown to 2026 ticks on, the YKM Cyber Team’s work highlights a defining reality: in modern Uganda, political power is increasingly measured not just in votes counted, but in clicks, shares, and conversations sparked across the digital sphere.