Rakai and Kyotera districts in central Uganda on December 30 emerged as critical opposition battlegrounds after National Unity Platform (NUP) leader and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, drew a show of support that disrupted normal economic activity and rattled long-standing ruling party dominance.
From Lwamaggwa playground in Rakai District to the streets of Kyotera town, shops, markets and bars closed as residents gathered along roadsides to see Kyagulanyi’s convoy, despite heavy security deployment.
The scenes appeared to mark sharp political shift in areas traditionally considered National Resistance Movement (NRM) strongholds.
Addressing supporters at Lwamaggwa playground, Kyagulanyi urged voters to focus on leadership change rather than repeated campaign pledges, arguing that Uganda’s persistent social challenges stem from governance failure.
‘I don’t need to remind you about bad roads or hospitals without medicine,’ Kyagulanyi said, adding: ‘You live this reality every day. The solution is to vote for change. Vote for me and all NUP flag bearers so we can fix this country together.’
Residents interviewed linked the momentum behind NUP to frustration with nearly four decades of NRM rule.
Joseph Kayiira, a resident of Bulanga Village in Rakai District, said the mobilisation reflected growing public fatigue.
‘We have endured suffering for close to 40 years,’ Kayiira said, adding: ‘We are tired of empty promises. This time, we want a new leadership that understands our problems.’
In Kyotera town, traders temporarily shut their businesses to follow the campaign. Jonex Mukasa, a local businessman, described Kyagulanyi’s candidacy as a symbol of political renewal.
‘Having Kyagulanyi as our next president is a dream. When leadership changes at the top, everything else will follow. Development will finally reach ordinary people,’ he told Monitor.
NUP’s challenge extends beyond the presidential race, with parliamentary candidates gaining traction in the region. Grace Nalubega, the party’s candidate for Rakai District Woman Member of Parliament, used the rally to criticise infrastructure deficits, particularly road construction.
‘Rakai has less than ten kilometers of tarmac,’ Nalubega said, disputing recent claims by President Museveni that roads in the district were in good condition.
She added: ‘Our people deserve better. Change is the only way we can bring real development.’
Political mobilisation along the campaign route-from Lwamaggwa to Kibanda, Kakuuto and Kalisizo-displayed a sense of growing confidence among opposition supporters, according to Tom Kasumba, a trader in Kyotera.
He noted that ‘generational disconnect with the current leadership was driving support for Kyagulanyi.’
‘Museveni ruled when we were children. This generation needs a leader who understands youth struggles. That leader is Kyagulanyi,’ he argued.
During a campaign stop on December 19, President Museveni defended his record, saying the people of Masaka and Kyotera, who suffered wars in 1972, 1979, and 1985, have now enjoyed four decades of peace under the NRM.
He pledged that in the next term, government works would include the Mutukula-Kyotera-Kalisizo-Masaka and Kyapa-Kasensero roads, as well as a bridge linking Buganda and Nyangoma in Kagera.
Museveni also announced plans to expand Presidential Zonal Skilling Hubs from 19 to 39.
On wealth creation, Museveni said development had been a priority since he moved to Rwakitura in 1970, emphasizing that ‘cows eat grass, not tarmac,’ and that “wealth must come first.”
As campaigning intensifies ahead of the January 15, 2026 General Election, Rakai and Kyotera are shaping up as test cases for NUP’s ability to erode the NRM’s long-held political grip in the area.
Kyagulanyi is among seven opposition candidates aiming to end Museveni’s hold onto power.
Past election
During the 2021 General Election, President Museveni secured 47,288 votes (57.83 percent) in Rakai District, while his closest challenger, Kyagulanyi, garnered 33,267 votes (40.69 percent).In neighbouring Kyotera District, however, Museveni was defeated by Kyagulanyi, who won 49,132 votes (64.84 percent) against the incumbent’s 25,598 votes (33.78 percent).