By Odeke Emma Akol
Mbale, Uganda – The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is stepping up its mobilization efforts in Eastern Uganda ahead of the 2026 general elections. David Calvin Echodu, the party’s National Vice Chairman for the Eastern Region, is today holding a high-level consultative meeting with NRM leaders in the Bugisu Sub-region to harmonize strategies and consolidate support for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s 2026–2031 presidential bid.
The meeting, taking place in Mbale, has drawn NRM district chairpersons, councillors, and aspirants who lost during the party’s primaries. According to officials, the session is aimed at bridging internal divisions, reaffirming loyalty to the party, and strengthening grassroots structures to ensure a resounding victory in the forthcoming elections.
Speaking to the gathering, Echodu emphasized the importance of unity and inclusivity within the ruling party. He urged leaders to focus on reconciliation and mobilization rather than factionalism, warning that internal disunity could undermine the NRM’s electoral performance in the region. “The strength of our movement lies in its structures and the people’s trust,” he said. “We must work together, regardless of past differences, to secure the future of our party and our country.”
Echodu’s engagement with Bugisu leaders follows a similar consultative meeting held earlier this week with NRM leaders in the Sebei Sub-region. During that session, he pledged to reinforce party structures and improve communication channels between the leadership and the grassroots, a move seen as critical to maintaining the NRM’s dominance in Eastern Uganda.
Political observers note that the ruling party’s internal dynamics are increasingly under scrutiny as it prepares for another election cycle with President Museveni at the helm. Analysts say these consultative meetings signal an effort to address grievances from the primaries and shore up support among key local leaders who serve as the backbone of the NRM’s mobilization machinery.
The Bugisu region, historically an NRM stronghold, is expected to play a pivotal role in the 2026 polls. Today’s meeting underscores the party’s resolve to secure a seamless campaign in the east and reassert its influence ahead of what is shaping up to be a highly competitive electoral season.
