Rukiga youth endorse Museveni as sole candidate come 2026

By Moses Agaba

Rukiga

Youth in the Rukiga region have endorsed President Museveni as the sole presidential candidate for the 2026 elections.

Gibs Barigayomwe the Rukiga Youth chairperson revealed that as Rukiga youth still see Museveni as a strong leader still capable of solving the country’s pressing challenges like unemployment and this challenge can be solved by only an experienced leader who is President Museveni.

“We definitely recommend to the membership of the Ruling National Resistance Movement and its organs that His Excellency Yoweri Museveni, our leader and General of the African resistance, continues leading the party and the State in 2026 and beyond as we eliminate bottlenecks to transformation,” Gibson Barigayomwe the Rukiga district youth leader said.

Barigayomwe asked President Museveni to revive the youth livelihood program which he says is one of the interventions that will help the youth in the fight against poverty and unemployment.

The youth from Rukiga District unanimously agreed to back president Museveni as the sole candidate in the coming elections this was on Tuesday during the Rukiga belated youth day that was held at Kamwezi Sub-county headquarters under the theme “the role of youth leaders in parish development model program”.

President Museveni, who has been in power for 36 years, has not yet indicated that he will run for 2026.

The endorsement of President Museveni by the leaders comes at a time when another section of youth within the NRM has intensified efforts to the front first son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as their candidate in 2026.

Gen Muhoozi, too, has not yet affirmed that he will stand in 2026 but he has welcomed initiatives by some young people in NRM to front him for the presidency in 2026.

Apollo Nyegamahe alias Aponye the Rukiga District NRM says that as people of Rukiga they are in support of President Museveni coming back in 2026 saying that Rukiga had been infiltrated by Opposition FDC but now they are working hard to see that it turns into NRM as in the president of the recent election Museveni got 81.5 percent.

George William Kanagizi Senior Presidential on Kigezi affairs says that they are ready to support president Museveni in 2026 elections saying that president Museveni is second to God as he cares for everyone.

“Even God Knows that he is his brother as he is so compassionate, loving merciful and forgiving”. Said Kanagizi.

In the 2021 general elections, Rukiga which used to be an FDC stronghold voted overwhelmingly to the NRM.

Speaking as the guest of honor at the function, the state minister in charge of children and Youth affairs Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi implored the youth to join government programs saying that they always set with provisions of helping the youth inclusive.

Sarah Mateke warned the Youth who refuse to pay back Loans, they get on the funds put in youth government programs like Emyooga, and Youth Livelihood Programme among others to pay before they ascend on them.

She said that the NRM government has put these programs not in a selective way to help many, thus urging those who got them to bring them so that others can also get them.

It was discovered that in Rukiga district, 453,712,452 shillings were released under Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) in the previous years, but only 50 million have been recovered/paid back whereas women who got money through Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) recovered so far recovered 184 million.

Mateke asked Ugandans to wait as it is not time for politicking but she said that as NRM leaders they are to wait for the whom part endorses.

“We will wait for the stand of the NRM CEC and President Museveni whoever is endorsed we shall support him “. Said Mateke.

The function was attended by among others Dr. Sylvia Tumuheirwe Alinaitwe. the Deputy Managing Director of Deputy Finance and Corporate Strategy in National water and sewerage corporation, Robert Mbabazi the Rukiga LC5 Boss, Patrick Kiconco Katabazi, the Executive Director at the Center for Budget and Tax policy among others.