Former vice-president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya has endorsed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba for president in 2031, describing him as the best candidate to lead Uganda into the future.
Bukenya made the endorsement yesterday as several National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, former legislators, business leaders and other prominent Ugandans gathered at the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) secretariat to officially back Kainerugaba’s presidential bid.
The gathering coincided with the official launch of the PLU website, which the organisers said would provide a platform for coordinating the organisation’s activities and mobilisation ahead of the 2031 elections.
Bukenya was among the notable dignitaries at the PLU headquarters, alongside Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and several other political leaders.
In his remarks, Bukenya endorsed Kainerugaba, saying he was the most suitable candidate to lead Uganda in 2031.
His endorsement adds to a growing list of political, military and business figures publicly backing Kainerugaba, who is widely seen as positioning himself to succeed his father, President Yoweri Museveni.
Several serving NRM MPs also thronged the PLU secretariat to formally endorse the CDF’s presidential ambitions.
They were joined by former NRM MPs, including Musa Echweru and Mike Mukula, among others.
Echweru, who formerly served as a legislator and has also been associated with the Arrow Boys, said he had a long history of working alongside Kainerugaba.
He led former Arrow Boys combatants in endorsing Kainerugaba, recalling that they fought together on the frontline during the war against Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Echweru said his support was partly based on the experience he gained while working alongside Kainerugaba during the conflict.
The endorsements were also boosted by the participation of prominent businessmen Godfrey Kirumira and Sudhir Ruparelia.
PLU described their decision to back Kainerugaba as a strong expression of confidence in his leadership and vision.
“Thank you Mr. Godfrey Kirumira and Mr. Sudhir Ruparelia for joining our cause and endorsing Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the next President of Uganda,” PLU said in a statement.
The organisation said the businessmen’s support demonstrated confidence in Kainerugaba’s leadership, vision and commitment to Uganda’s future.
“Together we remain united in building a stronger, more prosperous and patriotic Uganda,” the statement added.
Kainerugaba has also confirmed that his name will appear on the ballot paper in the 2031 presidential election.
He said President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, would serve as his chief campaign manager.
The declaration further reinforces speculation that the ruling NRM is preparing for a transition from Museveni to Kainerugaba, although the 2031 election is still several years away.
PLU launches signature drive
As the endorsements gathered momentum, PLU also intensified its mobilisation activities, with Kampala being positioned as a strategic entry point into the wider Buganda region.
Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minsa Kabanda launched the PLU signature collection drive for Kainerugaba.
PLU National Chairman’s office head Daudi Kabanda formally handed registration books to the minister to facilitate the exercise.
Kabanda commended Minsa Kabanda for becoming the first sitting Cabinet minister to publicly endorse Kainerugaba’s initiative.
The minister has been tasked with spearheading the signature collection exercise across Kampala’s five divisions — Central, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa and Rubaga.
These divisions are expected to form the centre of the wider mobilisation campaign across Buganda.
Minsa Kabanda, accompanied by local leaders, youth representatives, women leaders and clergy, said groundwork for the mobilisation had already begun but would now be intensified.
She said the campaign would start in Kampala before spreading to the wider Buganda sub-region. To ensure credibility, Kabanda pledged strict verification of signatures at village and parish level.
She said the process would provide for single-person registration to prevent duplication of signatures. The model, she said, would subsequently be replicated across districts in Buganda.
‘NRM and PLU are one’
Kabanda also sought to clarify her political position, saying President Museveni was fully aware of her support for Kainerugaba and her involvement in PLU activities.
She stressed that her participation in the mobilisation should not be interpreted as a breakaway from the ruling NRM. According to Kabanda, NRM and PLU are fundamentally united and should work closely together.
The developments at the PLU secretariat signal an increasingly organised effort to build support for Kainerugaba well ahead of the 2031 presidential election.
With endorsements now coming from serving MPs, former legislators, Cabinet officials, business leaders and former combatants, Kainerugaba’s supporters are seeking to broaden his political base across different sections of Ugandan society.
Bukenya’s endorsement is particularly notable given his former position as vice-president and his long experience in national politics.
His description of Kainerugaba as the best candidate for 2031 is likely to add weight to the growing campaign to position the CDF as Museveni’s successor.
The PLU mobilisation drive, meanwhile, is expected to expand beyond Kampala as supporters seek signatures and build structures across the country.
Author Profile
- Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]
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