By KT Reporter
President Yoweri Museveni, a former bush war rebel, has been nominated to run for the presidency in the 2026 general elections for his seventh term.
Museveni, accompanied by his wife, Janet Museveni, arrived at the Lubowa Electoral Commission Grounds on Tuesday, where he was duly nominated by Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
Museveni is set to launch his Presidential campaign in Luwero District on 30th September 2025 at the Bukalasa Agricultural College playground, located in Wobulenzi town.
Luwero was the epicentre of the National Resistance Army (NRA) war of 1981-1986 that brought Museveni to power, and has traditionally been the starting point for his campaigns, recognising its historic support.
Museveni launched a guerrilla war following the disputed 1980 polls that saw Milton Obote declared president.
Retired Sergeant Baker Seremba, aged 59 years, a resident of Kikubajinja village in Luwero town, recalls how he joined the war on 23rd February,1982, while a senior three student at Katikamu SDA School.
Seremba, then 16 years old, had a dream of pursuing education and graduating as a pilot, like his older brother. However, this dream came to a standstill when President Milton Obote deployed hundreds of soldiers to repel the NRA rebel attack on Luwero Central Police Station.
He added that following the attack, Obote’s soldiers went on a shooting spree of civilians, leaving their aunt Florence Namata and others dead.
Seremba says that schools were closed, forcing students to join the NRA war, whereas others fled to other districts.
Seremba noted that he had no choice but to join the NRA fighters camped at Nakaseta village near Lugogo swamp, located at the borderline of Luwero and Nakaseke districts.
Seremba and others engaged in different battles, among them a bloody battle at Katonga, where he was shot on the head before he was transferred to Kitovu hospital, and later, after capturing power, he was evacuated to Mbuya military hospital for further management.
He survived the war with permanent injuries and is now paralysed on the right-hand side due to bullet wounds.
Seremba retired with a package of 4.5 million shillings after the war and is now engaged in construction works.
As Museveni returns to Luwero for a fresh mandate through general elections, Seremba remains his supporter, saying he doesn’t regret joining him to remove Obote.
But Seremba wants Museveni to address the issues of inadequate drug supplies in government health centres and improve education services in government schools.
George William Namugera Nkokonyole, the Chairperson of Kakookolo zone in Luwero, is another fighter who joined the NRA war at the age of 15 years while in primary six at Kasana UMEA Primary School.
Namugera explained that at his young age, he joined the war due to peer pressure after his colleagues left the school to fight alongside President Yoweri Museveni.
Namugera narrated that in the war, he was a guard for an armoury unit and recalls when he was almost killed at Kitimba forest in Mpigi district when the soldiers surrounded them, but they managed to repel the attack.
Namugera also recalled the turning point for the NRA war when the helicopter carrying the most feared soldier, General Oyite Ojok, crashed in Nakasongola district.
Namugera said that Museveni was commanding the battle from Mondlane camp located at Makulubita sub-county, but he would often make impromptu visits, especially at night, in different camps, where he would inspire them to fight, saying that the end of the war was near.
Namugera and other NRA fighters captured Kampala through Buloba along the Mityana road. He left the army in 1987 before he was assigned a military rank.
Namugera, also the NRM village chairperson, welcomed Museveni’s launch of the campaign in the district, saying it paid a heavy price to bring him to power and needs to explain the gains attained.
Thirty-nine years after capturing power, President Museveni returns to Luwero district to launch his fresh Presidential bid and reconnect with veterans to defend his performance in the area where hundreds of people died to usher him into power.
President Museveni’s popularity in Luwero declined significantly in the 2021 elections. Museveni received 41,166 votes (27.94%), while his arch-rival, NUP Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, scored 103,782 votes (70.45%).
Since then, NRM has been struggling to win the support again in the district, and it will remain to be seen whether Museveni will regain it in 2026.
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