After traversing major districts of Uganda for votes,President Yoweri Museveni will on wednesday take his nationwide campaign trail to Kassanda District, as he holds his third campaign engagement in the Buganda region at Bukuya Town Council.
The Kassanda stop comes as part of a broader Buganda mobilisation drive following what State House sources describe as a successful tour of the Bunyoro sub-region.
Museveni entered Buganda through Mubende District on Monday, before addressing rallies in Kyankwanzi and Kiboga districts on Tuesday. After Kassanda, the President is expected to proceed to neighbouring Mityana District later on Wednesday.
Kassanda District, carved out of Mubende in 2019, is home to an estimated 154,000 registered voters and is widely known for its vibrant artisanal gold mining activities, especially in Bukuya, Kitumbi and Lwamata areas. The district has, however, in recent years emerged as a competitive political battleground, with opposition forces making inroads during the 2021 general elections.
In the last presidential polls, Museveni secured about 44 per cent of the vote in Kassanda, a performance that fell below his national average and signalled growing political discontent among sections of the electorate, particularly the youth and mining communities affected by land conflicts, environmental degradation and unemployment.
Since then, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has intensified grassroots re-organisation in the district, focusing on party restructuring, youth mobilisation and economic empowerment programmes under government flagship initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the GROW project.
NRM insiders point to the party’s recent victories in youth elections and improved organisational cohesion as indicators of a political resurgence. Local leaders say Museveni’s visit is intended to consolidate these gains, listen to community concerns and reaffirm government commitments on infrastructure, mining regulation, wealth creation and social service delivery.
According to State House and NRM big wigs,during Museveni Kassanda engagement, the President will address issues surrounding artisanal mining, including formalisation of miners, environmental protection and combating illegal gold trade. Road infrastructure, electricity extension and access to affordable credit are also anticipated to feature prominently in his address.
As the Buganda campaign enters a critical phase, Kassanda will serve as an early test of the NRM’s efforts to regain lost ground in strategically important districts ahead of the next general elections