Gen. Muhoozi’s 2031 Bid Gains Momentum as PLU Takes Endorsement Drive to West Nile
The PLU West Nile team led by Hon. Atima Lee Jackson addressing the press on Sunday evening prior to Endorsement activity on Monday in Arua City. Photo by Matata Benzamin
The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) is taking its campaign to endorse General Muhoozi Kainerugaba for the 2031 presidential election to the grassroots, with West Nile set to become the latest region to join the growing mobilization.
PLU leaders in West Nile announced the regional campaign on Sunday evening during a press conference in Arua City ahead of the official launch scheduled for Monday, September 14, at the OPM grounds.
The launch, scheduled for 9am, will see endorsement books handed over to coordinators from the 13 districts and areas of West Nile for mobilization at district and grassroots level.
The exercise follows the launch of Muhoozi’s presidential endorsement campaign in Kampala on September 1 and a subsequent mobilization event at the PLU Secretariat in Naguru on September 7.
General Muhoozi, who is the Chief of Defense Forces and chairman of PLU, announced his intention to contest for president in 2031 last month. The declaration has since been followed by an organized signature collection campaign by his supporters.
Hon. Atima Lee Jackson Buti, the PLU coordinator for West Nile, said the regional launch marks the beginning of a wider grassroots mobilization campaign aimed at securing millions of endorsements for Muhoozi.
“Tomorrow will be history written in West Nile that the people of West Nile have endorsed General Muhoozi Kainerugaba to contest for the presidency,” Atima said.
He said endorsement books had already been prepared for the region and would be distributed to coordinators who will take them to the grassroots.
According to Atima, the campaign’s national target is to collect more than 20 million signatures by the time of nomination.
“We shall roll this out in the districts. Every district will pick the endorsement book, go to the grassroots and mobilize signatures. By the time we reach nomination time, we will have collected over 20 million signatures,” he said.
PLU has previously announced a nationwide signature drive, with endorsement registers being distributed across the country.
The campaign is also being supported through an online endorsement platform launched by PLU, alongside the physical endorsement books.
Urban Refugee Involvement into the Endorsement
For PLU leaders in Arua, Muhoozi’s security background is being presented as one of the reasons they believe he can provide effective leadership in a region dealing with significant security and humanitarian pressures.
Judith Bako, the PLU publicity secretary for West Nile and Assistant Resident City Commissioner for Arua City, said the urban refugees will be included to endorse Gen. Muhoozi despite policies excluding the refugees from participating from active politics of Uganda.
Bako pointed to the presence of more than 26,000 urban refugees in the city putting pressure on local service delivery as a reason that they should be involved to participate.
“If General Muhoozi is on board providing security, that security is not going to be only for Ugandans. We have these 26,000 or even more refugees here, and he ought to provide inclusive security to the South Sudanese and Congolese who are here as refugees,” Bako said.
She said the refugee population, largely from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has increased demand for services and contributed to the expansion of Arua City’s work plans and budgets.
Bako said Muhoozi’s security experience would be important in ensuring that security extends beyond Ugandan citizens to refugee communities living in the city.
She added that PLU intends to continue nurturing Muhoozi’s political ambitions ahead of 2031.
Muhoozi currently serves as Uganda’s military chief and has also emerged as a prominent political figure through his leadership of PLU.
Meanwhile, Moses Obeta, chairperson of the organizing committee for the endorsement activity, said organizers had deliberately kept the budget modest and would finance the event themselves.
He said they want to demonstrate a different approach to political mobilization, arguing that political activities should not become opportunities for people to benefit financially.
“We are coming not to eat. This business of eating is what is causing a lot of corruption in this country. We want to sacrifice to give leadership, and that’s all we are about,” Obeta said.
He disclosed that the committee had set a budget of Shs5 million for the activity.
The Arua launch is expected to bring together PLU supporters, political leaders, ministers, Members of Parliament and other supporters from across West Nile region.
The endorsement campaign comes as PLU seeks to build a nationwide political base for Muhoozi well ahead of the 2031 elections. The movement has described him as a potential candidate to Uganda’s succession, while his supporters have increasingly stepped up efforts to rally political and public backing around his candidacy.