By KT Reporter
At least 125 independent parliamentary aspirants have pulled out of the 2026 race in favor of National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearers ahead of the nominations. Following the NRM primaries held in July this year, several candidates who lost had announced plans to contest as independents, citing irregularities during the primaries and failure to get redress through the NRM Elections Dispute Tribunal.
However, the move threatened to split the ruling party’s support, particularly in the Buganda region, where NRM is struggling to recapture seats currently held by the opposition. The party currently holds 31 out of 105 parliamentary seats in the region.
To address this, incumbent Members of Parliament, the NRM Secretariat, and cabinet ministers launched the Buganda for Museveni rallies to mobilize support for President Yoweri Museveni and NRM flagbearers.
Speaking during the Buganda for Museveni rally in Kiwoko Town Council, Nakaseke District, on Sunday, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja said that in previous general elections, NRM lost several seats due to both flagbearers and NRM-leaning independents contesting in the same constituencies.
Namayanja said that to prevent a repeat in the 2026 elections, the NRM Secretariat and President Yoweri Museveni have been engaging independent aspirants to withdraw from the races in favor of party flagbearers. She revealed that so far, 125 independent candidates have agreed to step down and back NRM flagbearers in the upcoming elections. Namayanja said the move is intended to consolidate party support and help NRM win at least 90% of parliamentary seats in the Buganda region.
The latest aspirants to withdraw are Noah Mutebi, the incumbent MP for Nakasongola County, and Cissy Mulondo, an aspirant for the Luwero District Woman MP seat.
Mulondo agreed to step down following a request from President Museveni during his rally in Luwero last week, while Mutebi withdrew on Thursday, citing the need to de-escalate political tensions and promote unity ahead of the elections. Kyofatogabye Kabuye, the State Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs and NRM flagbearer for Nakaseke Central, welcomed the move, saying it strengthens the party’s chances of reclaiming opposition-held seats. He, however, urged the NRM Secretariat to learn from the mistakes witnessed during the primaries to avoid repeating the same challenges in future elections.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, who also serves as patron of the Buganda for Museveni rallies, apologized to residents of Nakaseke District for service delivery gaps. He said this was an opportunity to correct past mistakes by voting for NRM flagbearers who can effectively lobby for services and support the President’s development agenda.
Sarah Najjuma, the Nakaseke District Woman MP, said that with support from NRM party structures, they are confident of reclaiming all parliamentary seats currently held by the opposition.
The Buganda for Museveni rally in Kiwoko Town was organized by Sarah Najjuma, the Nakaseke District Woman MP, and Charles Nsereko, the NRM flagbearer for the Nakaseke South MP seat. According to the Electoral Commission, nominations for Members of Parliament will take place on October 22 and 23, 2025.
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