In a dramatic twist ahead of Uganda’s 2026 elections, Hajji Bruhan Sserunga, father of Common Man’s Party (CMP) presidential candidate Mubarak Munyagwa, publicly endorsed incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, abandoning his son in an unexpected political shockwave.
Sserunga addressed voters in Kitagwenda District, urging them to back Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Speaking at Museveni’s rally at Kayombo Primary School playgrounds, Sserunga credited the President with providing him a package under the civilian veterans’ programme.
He hailed Uganda’s relative peace compared to previous regimes and appealed to residents to allow Museveni to complete his ongoing development initiatives.
“Uganda has enjoyed unprecedented peace,” Sserunga said. “Let us support Museveni so he can finish what he has started.”
President Museveni lauded Local Defense Units (LDUs) for safeguarding Kitagwenda against ADF threats, noting their contribution to peace in the region amid instability in neighboring countries.
He announced government funding for the long-awaited Kitagwenda–Kamwenge road, attributing previous delays to poor prioritization by area MPs.
While acknowledging that soldiers still reside in grass-thatched houses, Museveni emphasized that national security remains a top priority, promising improved housing as resources allow.
He highlighted ongoing projects, including Kitagwenda’s connection to the national electricity grid, with plans to extend power to Kicheche, Bukurungo Town Council, Kakasi, and Ruhunga Sub-Counties in the near future.
The district currently hosts 68 government-aided primary schools and seven secondary schools.
On economic empowerment, Museveni cited Tumusiime, a Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiary who used Shs1 million to start a piggery after more than six decades without livestock.
He also encouraged locals to continue embracing commercial farming, especially coffee, referencing the four-acre model introduced in 1996.
The President further highlighted private-sector job creation, pointing to Basangwa, a Busoga farmer employing over 300 people, and the ongoing development of industrial parks in Mbale, Namanve, and Nakaseke. Plans to establish a coffee processing plant, compensate ADF war claimants, and replace school trucks destroyed during the 1986 war were also announced.
Speaker of Parliament and Second National Vice Chairperson Anita Among informed Museveni that a loan for the Kitagwenda–Kamwenge road had been approved in 2024 and that funds were now secured, paving the way for immediate implementation.
Sserunga’s unexpected support for Museveni underscores the fluid dynamics of Ugandan politics, where personal and local interests often intersect with national elections.
As Kitagwenda residents anticipate tangible development projects alongside security assurances, the NRM continues to project its narrative of stability, infrastructure growth, and economic empowerment ahead of the 2026 polls.
