Senior figures in the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) have publicly criticised Office of the National Chairman (ONC) manager Hadijah Namyalo after members of the ONC Bugisu team endorsed President Yoweri Museveni’s continued leadership beyond 2031.
The endorsement was displayed during the World Tourism Day celebrations in Mbale on Sunday, September 27, where Museveni was the chief guest. Members of the ONC Bugisu team held banners supporting his continued leadership as he addressed the gathering at Mbale Secondary School Grounds.
Chris Buyela, who represented the Bugisu ONC team and Namyalo, said the endorsement reflected the team’s view of Museveni’s contribution to development and programmes targeting young people.
The move, however, has drawn criticism from PLU leaders, who are currently conducting a nationwide endorsement drive for Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba ahead of the 2031 presidential election.
Fadil Twalla Challenges Namyalo
PLU General Secretary Fadil Twalla directly addressed Namyalo in a statement on X, saying the organisation had previously worked with the National Resistance Movement under the Tuko Pamoja arrangement and supported Museveni and other NRM candidates during the previous election.
Twalla said PLU’s current position is centred on Kainerugaba’s anticipated 2031 presidential bid.
“Gen Muhoozi, the PLU Chairman will be on the ballot in 2031, and…the Father of the Nation His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa will be his chief campaigner,” Twalla wrote, according to the statement reported by Pulse Uganda.
He subsequently called on Namyalo to stop what he described as “unsanctioned” endorsement activities, accusing the Bugisu team of creating confusion around the competing political positions.
Other PLU figures also weighed in. Daudi Kabanda, who heads the PLU chairman’s office, posted: “Namyalo please Stop it.”
Frank Mwesigye also criticised Namyalo in a social media post and made allegations concerning her management of public resources and relations with bloggers. Those allegations have not been independently established.
PLU’s 2031 Endorsement Drive
The disagreement comes as PLU continues its mobilisation campaign for Kainerugaba ahead of 2031.
On September 26, the organisation launched its endorsement exercise in the Sebei sub-region, covering Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo. PLU says the exercise is intended to collect public endorsements for Kainerugaba’s 2031 presidential bid.
The organisation has also published an online endorsement platform and says it is collecting endorsements across the country.
The ONC, meanwhile, is an NRM structure headed by Namyalo and operates under the office of the party’s National Chairman, Museveni.
The contrasting endorsements have therefore brought into public view different positions among actors operating within or alongside the NRM political establishment as activity around the 2031 succession question increases.
