‘We Have Already Resolved’: Mbarara NRM Boss Tuhaise Prosper Endorses Museveni For 2031

By Frank Kamuntu 

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) leadership in Mbarara District has declared its intention to support President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the 2031 presidential election, with district party chairman Prosper Tuhaise Kururagire saying the decision is based on the President’s experience, leadership and record of development.

Tuhaise made the announcement this week during the burial of the late Mugisha Deus, a veteran NRM mobiliser and administrator whose death brought together hundreds of mourners from across Mbarara and the wider Kashari area.

Mugisha died on Tuesday evening at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital after reportedly battling a short illness. He was buried on Thursday at his ancestral home in Rugarura, Nyabisirira Town Council, in a ceremony attended by relatives, friends, political leaders and other members of the community.

Among those present were Members of Parliament, mayors, retired politicians and local leaders from Mbarara and Kashari, reflecting the late Mugisha’s longstanding involvement in both community affairs and grassroots politics.

It was against this backdrop that Tuhaise revealed that Mbarara NRM leaders had already reached a position on the 2031 presidential race, saying they had resolved to back Museveni for another term.

According to Tuhaise, the decision reflects the confidence of the district leadership in Museveni’s ability to continue steering the country, arguing that they have yet to identify another leader whom they believe possesses the experience and capacity to take Uganda forward in the same direction.

“We have already resolved as Mbarara to support President Museveni in 2031,” Tuhaise told mourners.

He attributed the decision to what he described as Museveni’s unique leadership qualities and the achievements recorded under his administration since he assumed power.

Tuhaise further said the district party leadership would use the period ahead to strengthen its grassroots structures and mobilise support for Museveni, expressing confidence that Mbarara could deliver overwhelming support to the President in the next presidential election.

The declaration comes as political parties and movements across Uganda reassess their strategies and seek to reorganise their structures following the recent electoral contests. For the Mbarara NRM leadership, the early endorsement provides an opportunity to focus on grassroots mobilisation and consolidate support long before the 2031 campaign period.

Mugisha’s Three Decades Of Service

The political announcement came as Mbarara NRM leaders and residents paid their final respects to Mugisha, whose public service spanned about three decades.

Mugisha was remembered as a committed community leader and NRM cadre who dedicated much of his working life to serving residents of Kashare Subcounty.

He served as Chairman of Kashare Subcounty and Chairman Kashare LC3 before being appointed an administrator and office administrator under the leadership of Tuhaise at the Mbarara District NRM office.

Over the years, his work placed him at the centre of grassroots mobilisation and community engagement, earning him recognition among political leaders and residents in Kashari.

Tuhaise paid tribute to Mugisha, describing him as a dedicated public servant whose contribution extended beyond party politics to the wider welfare of the people he served.

The district chairman said Mugisha’s long record of service had left an enduring mark on the community and the NRM structures in the area.

His burial therefore became both a moment of mourning and a gathering of political and community leaders who had worked with him throughout his years of public service.

As tributes were paid to the late Mugisha, Tuhaise used the occasion to set out his vision for the NRM in Mbarara, placing early mobilisation for the 2031 presidential contest among the district leadership’s priorities.

The chairman’s declaration signals that the Mbarara NRM leadership intends to begin that mobilisation well ahead of the next presidential election, with the district seeking to strengthen its organisation and translate its stated support for Museveni into electoral backing when the time comes.