President Yoweri Museveni has described his 2026 presidential campaign trail as “beautiful to behold,” citing massive public turnouts and what he termed a positive and consultative atmosphere across the country.
“During the campaigns, I addressed 143 massive rallies in 153 districts. The atmosphere at these gatherings was celebratory and consultative, with entire communities turning up — the elderly, the youth and children. It was always so beautiful for me to behold,” Museveni said.
The President said the 2026 campaigns reminded him of the 1996 elections, when Paul Ssemogerere’s candidacy was, in his view, perceived by many as driven by “trouble makers.”
“It was only in the North and a bit of the North-West where some opportunists had been pushing the politics of ‘megwa’ (ours). By this, they meant that the NRM had brought down the government of the Acholis as a tribe (that of Tito Okello). The people of Lango had a bit of that also, but from another angle. The rest of the country was unanimous: ‘No Change,’ ‘Why Change?’ ‘No Cause,’” he said.
Museveni attributed the 1996 electoral support to what he described as the NRM/NRA’s focus on addressing citizens’ problems.
“By 1996, the NRM/NRA had eliminated extra-judicial killings by creating a disciplined army and removing the toxic politics of identity based on religion and tribe, which had created disharmony, enmity and suspicion — even among neighbours,” he said.
Turning to the recently concluded campaigns, Museveni said the Parish Development Model (PDM) played a significant role in shaping voter sentiment.
He explained that concerns about the distribution of government programmes such as Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) prompted reforms.
“In previous government initiatives, distribution was handled by state agents — LC3 chairpersons for Entandikwa, agricultural officers for NAADS, army officers for OWC. My political and pro-mass radar told me that if adults in each parish formed a SACCO and elected their own committee to prioritise beneficiaries, it would be better,” he said.
Museveni noted that where PDM has been implemented effectively, communities have expressed satisfaction.
“The stories of ‘I have never held a million shillings in my hands’ are everywhere. This has been one of the factors that created the good atmosphere I saw on the campaign trail,” he added.
The President also cited broader wealth creation programmes benefiting coffee and dairy farmers, as well as earlier achievements in eliminating shortages of essential goods.
“Especially the elders say, ‘You do not know where the Movement got us from.’ In the North, North-West and Karamoja, it is about peace, infrastructure such as tarmac roads, water, schools and health centres, and PDM. The people are tired of the negativity of the old mistake-makers who try to eclipse the NRM’s contribution with endless gobas (lies),” Museveni said.
