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BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2025
President Yoweri Museveni has warned the Ugandan electorate against the politics of sectarianism as the country drifts deeper into the campaigns ahead of the February 2026 elections.
Museveni faces seven challengers in the presidential race that if he wins will extend his presidency to 45 years.
He said by rejecting the politics of sectarianism, politics of religion and marginalization against women, the National Resistance Movement brought peace to Uganda for the first time in 500 years.
“So, I am telling you to be careful when somebody comes to you that I have apolitical party and I want to be leader, the question is what is your agenda? warned President Museveni.
The president who has camped for four days in the northwestern Uganda, the West Nile sun-region has so far addressed rallies in Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Madi-okollo, Arua, Maracha and Koboko districts, attracting crowds that mesmerized the first lady, Janet Museveni.
Ever walking hand-in-arms with the president to access the podium, Mrs Museveni the supporters were showing to the rest of Uganda that the National Resistance Movement family is a huge family.
“Thank you for working together with us to build Uganda. Then we must talk about the work that needs to be done going forward,” she said.
Mrs Museveni reiterated that the NRM has laid a strong foundation and now it is poised to build a modern Uganda.
“That is why our program is talking about protecting the gains we have made. Let us remain in unity and through unity, we shall accelerate development and Uganda shall be unstoppable,” she asserted.
Mrs Museveni said after years of relative stability, Uganda’s population has increased and it is obvious that the government must build more school, more hospitals and other institutions.
“President Museveni wants to make sure that no child is left behind. Every child must go to school. Every family of Uganda must be reached by programs like the Parish Development Model so that the people of Uganda must live better lives,” she explained.
Mrs Museveni said this is the reason they are moving throughout the country because every Ugandan deserves to get clean water, electricity, education, health, good roads and that is how Uganda is going to become a modern country.
Picking from the First Lady, President Museveni who is also the NRM presidential candidate sought to ground his message on nationalism, patriotism, and Pan-Africanism.
He delved into some of the ancient episodes that shaped the history of Uganda, suggesting that some people speak about Uganda as if it started with the British [colonial rule].
“I belong to one of the ancient groups in Uganda and I know what has been happening in the last 1000 years,” Museveni said making reference to the Bachwezi demi-gods who controlled much of modern day Uganda between 900 AD and 1400AD.
He said there was peace during that period until the Bachwezi dynasty collapsed in 1400 AD, giving rise to the traditional kingdoms that fought against each other.
“When the British came, they also began their own wars of colonization. After independence the situation became worse,” he recalled of the mistrust between former Prime Minister and eventual President Milton Obote and the Kabaka of Buganda, the much hyped Obote verses Idi Amin stand-off.
This was followed by the NRM war against the Uganda People’s Congress government and the military junta that replaced Obote in 1985 and the anarchy that following with a plethora of rebel groups fighting against the government.
However, Museveni noted that since 2007, the year when operation iron fist, the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces campaign ejected the Joseph Kony led Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda and subsequently out of South Sudan, there has been peace in the whole of the country.
“That is why you hear that there are refugees here because where they are coming from, there is no peace. This is one big gain to protect,” stated president Museveni.
The president explained that when they rejected the politics of sectarianism, the politics of religion and marginalization against women and children, NRM chose to treat everybody equally according his or her contribution.
This is how they were able to build a national party and it is the reason his party wins elections in the first round.
“If we were a party of religion, we would not win. There is no religion which is majority in Uganda. There is no tribe which is even 20% of the Ugandan population. So when you speak of politics of sectarianism, religion and marginalization of women, you are politically finished,” Museveni said emphatically.
The president gave the example of the 1962 election in Uganda, saying that nobody got a majority to win.
He emphasized that this is the reason he talks of being in unity because it has helped the government to build strong institutions like the army, the police and the prison service where during recruitment, every district is allocated a quota to ensure that people from all over Uganda participate in nation building.
“You need Uganda as a market for your products. For example, the Banyankole do not buy my milk and bananas because they also have milk. If I was with the Banyankole, I would be very poor but other tribes buy my milk and bananas. I do not grow simsim in Rwakitura. Where do I get simism from? Northern Uganda,” Museveni said of why patriotism is important.
Museveni also sought to highlight his role as a Pan-African champion by elucidating his support for the Nelson Mandela led African National congress’ struggle against Apartheid in South Africa and the John Garang led Sudan People’s Liberation Movement against the Khartoum government, (something Museveni frequently refers to as Arab chauvinism) that ushered independence in both South Africa and South Sudan.
Uganda and the United States of America are the two countries that signed as the guarantors of the South Sudan peace and security when the country gained independence from Sudan.
