Dr. Sudhir, Kirumira Add Business Weight to Muhoozi’s Political Mobilisation Drive

KAMPALA. The political mobilisation campaign around Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba received a high profile endorsement on September 7 when businessmen Dr Sudhir Ruparelia and Godfrey Kirumira signed books supporting his presidential ambitions at the Patriotic League of Uganda headquarters.

The appearance of the two businessmen brought prominent figures from Kampala’s private sector into a campaign that has been seeking wider public endorsements for Muhoozi. Their signatures were added during a visit to the PLU offices as the organisation continues a drive it says is intended to collect millions of endorsements.

The development matters because both men are well known in Uganda’s business community and are associated with the Kwagalana Group, a network of Kampala based entrepreneurs with interests in different areas of the economy. Their decision to sign the endorsement books places recognisable private sector figures publicly alongside a political movement seeking to expand its support base.

PLU officials and mobilisers welcomed the participation, viewing it as an indication that Muhoozi’s political message is attracting support from influential sections of society. The endorsement also provides the mobilisation campaign with additional visibility at a time when political organisations are working to demonstrate the breadth of their networks.

For Sudhir, the latest action follows an earlier public gesture toward Muhoozi. In April 2026, the businessman contributed 100 million shillings to the General’s Run for Hope birthday charity event at Kololo Independence Grounds. That earlier contribution was made in a charitable setting, while the September appearance was directly connected to the political mobilisation campaign.

Signing an endorsement book is a more explicit political act than supporting a charitable event because it associates an individual with a stated political ambition. The participation of Sudhir and Kirumira therefore gives the latest development a clearer political meaning.

Muhoozi’s supporters have been building a campaign around the General’s presidential ambitions, and the endorsement exercise is one way of demonstrating organisational reach. The names being collected are intended to provide a visible measure of support and help the PLU strengthen its presence among different groups of Ugandan society.

The involvement of business leaders also brings the private sector into the political conversation. Uganda’s business community has a long history of engaging with political developments because changes in government policy can affect taxation, investment, regulation, infrastructure and the wider operating environment.

That does not mean every businessperson who participates in politics speaks for the wider business community. The significance of the September 7 event lies specifically in the public decision of two prominent individuals to associate themselves with Muhoozi’s mobilisation campaign.

For the PLU, the challenge will now be to turn high profile endorsements into broader grassroots support. A list of prominent names can generate attention, but electoral strength ultimately depends on whether an organisation can connect with voters, communicate a credible programme and sustain support beyond headline events.

Sudhir and Kirumira’s signatures therefore add a new layer to the Muhoozi mobilisation campaign. Whether the endorsement becomes part of a wider movement among private sector figures remains to be seen, but their public appearance has already given the campaign a prominent business dimension.

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