STATS! Museveni Sweeps 15 Of 16 Sub-Regions As Western Uganda, Mbarara Deliver Historic Block Vote

By Frank Kamuntu

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni secured another decisive national mandate on Saturday, winning in 15 of Uganda’s 16 sub-regions, according to final results released by the Electoral Commission (EC), thereby extending his presidency for a further five-year term.

Except the Buganda sub-region, Museveni registered landslide victories across the country, finishing the race with 71.65 per cent of the vote. The NRM flag bearer garnered 7,946,772 votes out of the 11,366,201 total votes cast.

His closest challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform (NUP), polled 2,741,238 votes. Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) came third with 209,039 votes, followed by Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) with 59,276. Frank Bulira of the Revolutionary People’s Party obtained 45,959 votes, while Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party polled 33,440. Mubarak Munyagwa received 31,666 votes and Elton Mabirizi finished last.

Western Uganda Records Near-Total Endorsement

Museveni’s strongest showing came from Western Uganda, where he secured near-unanimous victories in most districts, with results reaching up to 98 per cent. The region once again affirmed its status as a stronghold of the ruling National Resistance Movement.

In previous elections, Museveni traditionally won overwhelmingly in neighbouring cattle corridor districts such as Kiruhura and Kazo, while receiving moderate support in Mbarara District, the region’s commercial and political centre. In the 2026 polls, however, Mbarara delivered an unprecedented block vote in his favour, marking the highest level of support the President has ever received from the district.

Mbarara’s Prosper Kururagire Praised

Political pundits have attributed the massive turnaround in Mbarara District largely to sustained and intensive mobilisation efforts led by Prosper Tuhaise Kururagire, the Mbarara District NRM Chairman and a long-time ally of President Museveni.

Kururagire is credited with deploying coordinated grassroots strategies anchored in community empowerment and youth engagement. Using his own resources, he has supported several youth groups across the district, with many beneficiaries now actively showcasing their talents. A notable example is Bwizibwera United Football Club, which is fully sponsored by Kururagire and has grown into one of Western Uganda’s competitive teams, currently featuring among the clubs participating in the Uganda Cup.

Beyond sports, Kururagire has invested heavily in education and youth empowerment. At the time of reporting, he is personally financing the education of over 400 children (bazzukulu) in various schools, a commitment widely credited with strengthening grassroots loyalty to the NRM among young families. Through his businesses and companies, he also employs hundreds of people, contributing significantly to job creation and youth economic stability in the district.

Party officials say these interventions played a key role in shaping voting patterns in Mbarara. They note that opposition mobilisation efforts struggled to gain traction, with two major NUP rallies reportedly failing to attract expected numbers. Many youths who had previously leaned toward the opposition instead rallied behind the NRM, culminating in Museveni securing over 92 percent of the vote in Mbarara, the highest result ever recorded for the President in the district.

Kururagire’s outreach has also extended beyond the youth to include women and other community groups. He has consistently supported local initiatives such as youth football competitions, boda boda tournaments and women-led community activities, reinforcing his reputation as a hands-on mobiliser and grassroots organiser.

NRM leaders say the Mbarara outcome reflects a broader shift toward results-driven mobilisation, with Kururagire’s approach cited as a model for effective party organisation at district level.

Buganda Shows Improvement Despite Loss

Although Museveni lost the Buganda sub-region, he significantly improved his performance compared to the 2021 elections. EC figures show that Museveni garnered 1,157,832 votes, representing 49.25 percent, narrowly trailing Kyagulanyi who obtained 1,160,780 votes or 49.37 percent.

In the 2021 polls, Buganda had overwhelmingly voted against Museveni, with Kyagulanyi scoring 1,453,535 votes against Museveni’s 838,858. Buganda registered 5.2 million voters in 2026, with about 2.4 million turning up to vote.

NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong attributed the improved performance to consistency in party engagement and messaging.

Kampala & Other Regions

Museveni lost Kampala Capital City to Kyagulanyi, who secured 53 percent of the 433,347 votes tallied. Kampala has a registered voter population of 1.5 million. Museveni won Kampala Central Division, while Kyagulanyi won the remaining four divisions.

NUP candidates also won seven of the 10 parliamentary seats in Kampala, while NRM retained three, including victories by Minsa Kabanda in Kampala Central, Madina Nsereko in Kawempe South and Fredrick Ruhindi in Nakawa East.

In West Nile, Museveni secured 473,556 votes against Kyagulanyi’s 90,231, reinforcing his dominance in the region. Similar margins were recorded across Northern, Eastern and other rural parts of the country.

The 2026 election results underscore President Museveni’s enduring national appeal, with Western Uganda and the unprecedented Mbarara block vote emerging as key pillars of his renewed mandate.