TORORO, UGANDA – With the final echoes of his campaign rallies in the Sebei sub-region still lingering, all eyes are now turning to the Bukedi region, where President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is set to begin a critical leg of his campaign tour tomorrow, starting in Pallisa District.
Ahead of the President's arrival, a powerful and strategic mobilisation effort is underway, spearheaded by the National Treasurer of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo. In a significant shift from previous campaign strategies, Ambassador Oundo is taking the party’s message directly to its most foundational level.
A New Strategy: Empowering the Grassroots
Ambassador Nekesa Oundo has been meeting with NRM flag bearers, beginning with the LC1 NRM Chairpersons—the party's foot soldiers who form the bedrock of community politics. In a closed-door meeting with party leaders in Tororo, she unveiled a pivotal change in the NRM's approach.
"This time round, President Museveni is not using the so-called national task force to look for his votes as he has been before," Ambassador Nekesa Oundo declared. "This time, he is using the grassroots people because they understand the politics around them."
This grassroots-centric strategy, she noted, is expected to yield a massive increase in support for both the NRM and its presidential candidate, President Museveni, as local leaders leverage their intimate understanding of their communities to drive voter engagement.
A Call for Collective Brilliance: "Make Bukedi Region Shine"
With a clear focus on unity and regional pride, Ambassador Nekesa Oundo issued a rallying cry to the party leaders. She emphasised that success cannot be isolated to a single district.
"It doesn't make sense if Busia, my home district, is well-organised and other districts in the Bukedi region are left without big numbers for Museveni," she stated. "That is why I am calling for collective teamwork to make the Bukedi region shine as a region. We must all work to make the Bukedi region sound the best in mbobazaling for M7."
The term "mbobazaling," a popular political slogan referring to overwhelming support, underscores the ambition for a dominant performance in the region.
Peace and Development: The Core Campaign Message
Ambassador Nekesa Oundo articulated the core reasons why the people of Bukedi should rally behind the NRM government. She placed peace at the forefront, describing it as the non-negotiable foundation upon which all development is built.
"The Bukedi region has a lot to protect and also to thank this government for," she said. "First, I point out the issue of peace. It is one of the pillars on which development is built because, without peace, no development can take place. Therefore, the people of Bukedi should thank the NRM and vote for all its candidates, starting with President Museveni."
More Than a Spectacle: A Call to Listen and Engage
As final preparations are made for the President's arrival in Pallisa, Ambassador Nekesa Oundo had a final message for the electorate. She urged residents to come out in historic numbers, not merely for the spectacle of seeing the President, but to actively engage with his vision for the nation.
"She added that people should come in large numbers to the rallies not only to see the President but to listen to his campaign speech, which spells out the achievements of the NRM to Uganda," a statement from the meeting concluded.
With the new grassroots machinery activated and a unified command under Ambassador Nekesa Oundo, the stage is set for a highly anticipated campaign tour in the Bukedi region, where the NRM hopes to translate local mobilisation into a resounding national victory.
