Politics
Supporters Rally Behind Museveni’s 2026 Bid with Millions of Signatures
National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters marched to present 2.2 million signatures to the Electoral Commission in backing of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s nomination as the party’s flag bearer for the 2026 presidential elections.
The nomination process for presidential hopefuls is set for September 23 and 24. Candidates are required to secure a minimum of 100 signatures from at least two-thirds of Uganda’s 146 districts, that is, at least 98 districts. These signatures were gathered by district leaders countrywide, utilising the NRM’s established organisational structures.
According to the NRM Secretary General, the initiative was organised through the party’s grassroots networks, with district level offices taking the lead in rallying national support. Party representatives claim that the massive turnout underscores strong nationwide endorsement for Museveni’s continued presidency.
NRM Treasurer Barbara Nekesa stated that the party intentionally exceeded the signature requirement to minimize any risks of disqualification or duplicated entries. She explained that some individuals may have signed nomination forms for more than one candidate, but the overwhelming number of endorsements gathered ensures NRM’s compliance in all districts.
While the bulk of the signatures came from NRM loyalists, the party revealed that it also received backing from supporters of other political affiliations. Nekesa remarked that this highlights the broad based appeal of Museveni’s candidacy, which, she said, cuts across partisan divides.
She pointed out that even some members of rival political parties including those participating in government under the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) expressed support for Museveni’s nomination. Signatures were reportedly collected from both urban centres and remote rural communities, some located nearly 800 kilometres away from the capital, Kampala.
Nekesa stressed that the signature drive gave everyday citizens a chance to participate directly in endorsing Museveni, underscoring that his nomination is driven by grassroots enthusiasm rather than just top-level party decisions. She attributed the smooth execution of the campaign to the NRM’s effective communication networks.
The march to the Electoral Commission began at the NRM Secretariat in Kyadondo, led by the party’s Secretary General Richard Todwong alongside other senior leaders, with thousands of excited supporters joining in.
Participants included various musicians, youth organisations, and admirers of popular artist Alien Skin, with vibrant music playing messages in support of the President’s campaign.
Traffic in areas around Kyadondo, Fairway, and Jinja Road Roundabout came to a standstill due to the large-scale procession.
The party announced that the collected signatures were sorted and categorised by district to facilitate a smooth verification process by the Electoral Commission. Officials described this step as vital to ensuring the submission adheres to all legal requirements.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, NRM youth led by former National Youth MP aspirant Fiona Nakku officially launched the Youth for Museveni Movement, aiming to mobilise 13 million votes for the President.
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