Kabarole District
Kabarole District currently comprises a single county-Burahya-with a population of 230,368, according to the 2024 National Housing Census. Since 2010, it has remained a stronghold of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), consistently voting for the party.
In the 2021 presidential election, Mr Museveni secured a landslide victory in the district, garnering 49,491 votes (80.4 percent), while his closest rival, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), received 9,830 votes (15.98 percent).
A major concern in Kabarole is the government’s failure to deliver on infrastructure pledges. The Fort Portal-Kijura-Kabende-Katooke road, an 81-kilometre stretch linking Kabarole to Kyenjojo District, was promised for tarmacking in 2013 but remains incomplete. Similarly, the Kasisi-Rwakenzi-Kyanga road, a 45-kilometre route intended to connect Kabarole to Rwimi in Bunyangabu District, was also pledged in 2013 and has yet to materialise.
Another unfulfilled commitment is the Kabarole Industrial Park, earmarked for Rwebita ZARDI in Rweganju Sub-County. Announced in 2018 under the Agri-Led Industrialisation Programme, the project aimed to boost economic growth and job creation, but no tangible progress has been made.
Cultural and political issues persist. In 2019, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with King Oyo of the Tooro Kingdom to return the kingdom’s assets. However, the process has stalled. During his 30th coronation anniversary, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV urged the central government to prioritise the return of the kingdom’s properties.
Declining tea prices
Tea farming, the district’s economic backbone, has suffered a sharp decline in prices over the past three years. Many farmers have uprooted their plantations or abandoned their gardens due to inadequate government support. Mr Joshua Tusiime from Kiko Town Council expressed the frustration of many locals.
‘Many people, including eligible voters, are not happy with the government because their main source of income has been neglected. Some of us are not happy. I don’t see why we should vote again. This time, we need to vote for people who will listen to our problems as tea farmers,’ he said.
The issue has become a political flashpoint, raising doubts about whether NRM’s dominance will hold in 2026. On September 12, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze stated that President Museveni had met tea farmers in Bushenyi and directed Finance Minister Matia Kasaija to secure Shs312 billion to revamp the struggling industry.
Fort Portal City
Elevated from a municipality in 2020, Fort Portal City has a population of 137,549, according to the 2024 census. Historically, Fort Portal has strongly supported the NRM in both presidential and parliamentary elections. Long-serving MPs such as Alex Ruhunda, who has represented Central Division for three terms, exemplify this trend. All current legislators (2021-2026) subscribe to NRM.
In the 2021 presidential race, Mr Museveni received 25,753 votes, while Mr Kyagulanyi garnered 8,440. Despite NRM’s dominance, several unfulfilled pledges remain central to voter concerns.
Chief among them is Buhinga Stadium, promised in 2018 as a modern sports tourism facility. Six years later, the project is yet to begin. Other pressing issues include chronic underfunding of the city budget, the stalled City Administration Block-under construction since 2010-and the long-promised tarmacking of Kabudaire-Ssaak Road.
Bunyangabu District
Carved out of Kabarole in 2017, Bunyangabu District comprises one constituency-Bunyangabu County-and has remained a firm NRM stronghold for two decades. Its County MP seat has consistently been held by an NRM legislator. The 2024 census places the district’s population at 219,012. As an agricultural district, Bunyangabu faces persistent challenges with poor road networks, limiting market access for farmers. Additionally, frequent disasters in the hilly areas bordering Mt Rwenzori National Park-such as mudslides and landslides-have claimed lives and displaced households. These issues are expected to weigh heavily on voters’ minds in 2026.
Kamwenge District
Kamwenge District, with a population of 337,167, comprises two counties: Kibale and Kibale East. In the 2021 elections, both MPs-Mr Frank Tumwebaze (Kibale East) and Mr Abigaba Mirembe Cuthbert (Kibale)-were elected unopposed on the NRM ticket. They have again won NRM primaries and await nomination.
Since its creation from Kabarole 25 years ago, Kamwenge has remained a steadfast NRM stronghold. In 2021, Mr Museveni secured 85,241 votes out of 117,466 registered voters, while Mr Kyagulanyi received 3,969. A total of 91,749 voters participated.
District chairperson Joseph Karungi highlighted the long-standing presidential pledge to tarmac the 105-kilometer road connecting Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, and Kyegegwa. Work began in May 2025, covering Kihura-Bwizi-Rwamwanja-Kahunge (68km), Mpara-Bwizi (38km), and 20 kilometres of town roads. Progress on this project will likely influence voter sentiment in 2026.
Kitagwenda District
Carved out of Kamwenge in 2019, Kitagwenda District has a population of 184,947 and one constituency. Unlike neighbouring districts, Kitagwenda saw a tight race-Mr Museveni polled 4,417 votes, while Mr Kyagulanyi edged ahead with 4,488. Despite this, both the Kitagwenda County MP and Woman MP are from the NRM, and party primary winners-Robert Mugabe (Kitagwenda County) and Ms Nyakato Dorothy Nzibonera (Woman MP)-await nomination. The district’s most pressing issue is poor road infrastructure. Apart from the Kamwenge-Ibanda highway, Kitagwenda lacks any tarmacked roads. Residents say this isolation hampers development and market access for farmers, making it a likely campaign issue in 2026.
Kyenjojo District
Kyenjojo District comprises three constituencies: Mwenge North, Mwenge South, and Mwenge Central. All current MPs (2021-2026) are from the NRM, despite competition from NUP, FDC, and ANT in 2021. As the 2026 elections approach, key concerns include road infrastructure, youth employment, and agricultural support. The district’s agrarian nature makes these issues particularly salient. While NRM maintains a strong grip, opposition parties may leverage voter frustration over unfulfilled pledges.
NRM parliamentary candidates await nomination, alongside Opposition contenders. Notably, long-serving Mwenge Central MP Tom Butime will not seek re-election. His departure is expected to reshape the race, with Ms Doreen Nyanjura of the PFF party among those vying for the seat. Kyenjojo continues to grapple with unresolved issues. Residents cite land grabbing, poor infrastructure, and unfulfilled presidential pledges-especially the 2011 commitment to tarmac the 34-kilometer road linking Kyenjojo to Kamwenge via Kahunge Town Council.