The Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) and Senior Presidential Advisor/Personal Assistant (SPA/PA), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, has intensified grassroots mobilisation efforts to rally support for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate and incumbent, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Speaking at ONC headquarters in Kyambogo, Hajjat Namyalo revealed that her office, working with various stakeholders, has rolled out a new voter education campaign dubbed “Bus Tikinga.” The initiative, which seeks to educate NRM supporters on the correct voting procedures to reduce invalid ballots, will officially kick off tomorrow, January 7, 2026, in Buwenge Town Council, Jinja District, before rolling out to other districts up to polling day. Invalid votes have remained a persistent challenge in past elections.
“Our focus is very clear, we want to make sure that every supporter who turns up to vote does so correctly, so that their vote is valid and counts for our National Chairman, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.”
According to figures cited by ONC, the NRM registered 477,319 invalid votes in the 2016 general elections, a number that improved to 393,500 in 2021. While the reduction reflects progress, Namyalo noted that the figures remain worrying and point to gaps in voter education, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Research conducted by the Kyambogo based office indicates that many voters are still influenced by informal campaign language, such as being told to “tick the bus” or vote for “the Mzee with the hat,” without fully understanding the official ballot format. This, she said, has often resulted in invalid votes, even among committed NRM supporters.
“We have mobilised our people very well at the grassroots, but without proper sensitisation, we risk losing those votes on polling day,” That is why this campaign is critical, even with just a few days left, we believe we shall have a huge impact” she emphasised.
The Bus Tikinga campaign also seeks to activate the strong Bazzukulu Movement, strengthen grassroots mobilisation structures, and encourage active participation of supporters in the electoral process.
Furthermore, Hajjat Namyalo applauded Ugandans for the overwhelming support they have shown President Museveni during the campaign period, pointing to the massive crowds that have turned up at rallies across the country.
“I appreciate and thank you all for the love you have shown our dear National Chairman, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The turnout at the campaign rallies has been impressive. What we now need is to translate those numbers into votes on polling day.” she noted.
She urged supporters to report to their respective polling stations on January 15 2026 and carefully follow voting instructions to avoid spoiling their ballots.
“Please go to where you are registered to vote and vote correctly,” Namyalo appealed. “The President will appear last on the ballot paper. Do not tick in the wrong place. Vote in the correct column so your vote is not wasted.”
Emphasising peace and unity, Namyalo called on Ugandans to participate calmly in the electoral process, noting that voting is central to safeguarding national stability and protecting development gains.
“For the sake of peace, unity and safety of our country, I call upon all Ugandans to come out in even bigger numbers and vote,” she said, describing President Museveni as “the grandfather of this mighty nation.”
In line with directives from President Museveni, Namyalo also disclosed that ONC coordinators alongside other stakeholders have begun training vote protectors across all sub-counties nationwide. The initiative is intended to strengthen vigilance at polling stations and ensure that votes cast are properly safeguarded.
Under Hajjat Namyalo’s stewardship, ONC last week officially launched a Vote Protection Taskforce at its headquarters, highlighting the office’s central coordination role as the NRM prepares for a strong showing at the polls.
Namyalo’s remarks come amid renewed claims by President Museveni that votes were stolen from him during the 2021 general elections—allegations he has previously directed at opposition actors—further underscoring the ruling party’s emphasis on voter education and vote protection ahead of the upcoming election.
