Museveni Meets Buganda NRM Leaders, Hails Unity Ahead Of 2026 Elections

By Frank Kamuntu

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has met with former NRM primary contestants from Buganda who pledged to fully back the party’s official flag bearers in the 2026 general elections.

The meeting, held yesterday at State House, follows a reconciliation caucus earlier this month at Hotel Africana, Kampala, where over 500 NRM leaders from Central Uganda gathered under the leadership of NRM Vice Chairperson for Central Region, Hon. Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo.

In a tweet shared after the State House meeting, President Museveni applauded the leaders for putting aside differences and rallying behind the party’s official candidates.

“I welcomed NRM members from Buganda who showed remarkable unity by rallying behind our flag bearers after the primaries. I congratulate them, and I can see the spirit of the National Resistance Army (NRA) coming back. Supporting NRM is first of all for stability, secondly, for the future of Uganda,” Museveni wrote.

The President described the meeting as a “significant step towards consolidating our support base in Buganda Region” and commended the initiative of the Buganda Caucus and Kasolo for steering reconciliation efforts.

During the Africana caucus, Kasolo and Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka assured primary losers that they would meet the President — a promise that has now been fulfilled. They further hinted at possible government appointments to ensure that no capable cadres are left behind.

Kasolo has consistently emphasized that the slogan “Buganda for Museveni” must translate into overwhelming support in 2026, targeting at least 85% of the presidential vote in the region and reclaiming 80 out of 105 parliamentary seats.

The Buganda for Museveni initiative is driven by Kasolo himself, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Member of Parliament from Buvuma Island County Hon Robert Ndugwa Migadde and Woman MP for Lwengo Distric Hon Cissy Dionizia Namujju.

Unity Seen As Key To 2026 Victory

Attorney General Kiwanuka previously warned that independent candidacies would split the NRM vote, urging all party members to remain united. Kampala Central Mayor Salim Uhuru and other leaders have since pledged to serve as frontline mobilizers for Museveni’s re-election.

The State House meeting is expected to solidify this momentum, with NRM strategists outlining roles for former contestants in mobilization, monitoring government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), and protecting votes in 2026.

Political analysts argue that Buganda’s voting pattern will be decisive in the coming election. NRM lost significant ground in the region in 2021, winning primarily in Greater Mubende, but suffering defeats in Greater Mukono, Greater Masaka, and Greater Mpigi.

Museveni’s direct engagement with Buganda leaders, observers say, is part of a larger strategy to reclaim support in the country’s most populous region and neutralize opposition dominance.