Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is poised to reclaim its political dominance in Buganda during the 2026 general elections, according to Godfrey Kiwanda, the party’s vice chairperson for the region.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Kiwanda attributed the party’s poor performance in the 2021 elections to internal divisions, particularly the failure of some aspirants to accept the outcome of NRM primaries.
“Many of those who lost the primaries chose to run as independents. That fragmented our vote,” Kiwanda said.
“When you lose in the primaries, specifically if it was free and fair, please don’t stand as an independent or join another political party—move with the party and support the chosen candidate.”
In the 2021 general elections, the NRM suffered a major setback in Buganda, securing only 35% of the presidential vote and winning just 31 out of 105 parliamentary seats in the region.
This marked a sharp decline from previous years, where the party had received around 69% in 2011 and 80% in 2006.
The poor performance was largely attributed to the rise of Robert Kyagulanyi’s National Unity Platform (NUP), widespread youth support for the opposition, concerns over land grabbing, and internal divisions within the NRM caused by losing candidates running as independents.
Kiwanda argued that fragmentation leads to confusion among voters due to conflicting messages, weakening the party’s overall appeal in the region.
Kiwanda, who is seeking to represent Mityana North in the next Parliament, also pointed to land insecurity as a critical issue that eroded the party’s support in Buganda.
He urged Parliament to establish a special land fund to address widespread concerns about land grabbing.
“I’m happy that His Excellency the President recently came out and apologised to Ugandans, and specifically singled out the people and Kingdom of Buganda. If we are to expect different results, we must do things differently. We need to address the issues that concern the local community,” Kiwanda said.
He further emphasized that economic empowerment through agriculture remains central to the NRM’s vision for the region, citing the popular local slogan “Ommwanyi Terimba” (coffee doesn’t lie) as a guiding principle.
“We need to revamp our program of giving quality coffee seedlings to the people of Buganda because that’s what has made Uganda’s economy what it is,” he added.
As Uganda moves closer to the 2026 election cycle, attention is on whether President Museveni and the NRM will act on the promises made to Buganda.
The party’s electoral support in the region has steadily declined from a high of 80% in 2006 to just 35% for the presidential candidate in 2021, when it won only 31 out of 105 parliamentary constituencies in Buganda.
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