Hajjat Namyalo’s Citywide Drive Delivers Massive Turnout For Museveni At Kololo

By Gad Masereka

The approach to Kololo Grounds on Tuesday felt less like a routine campaign stop and more like a rolling procession, as streams of supporters poured in from different corners of the city, converging on the venue hours before President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s final rally ahead of the January 15 polls.

At the centre of the mobilisation was the Manager of the Office of the National Chairman, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, whose arrival signalled the scale and coordination behind the turnout.

Namyalo, widely known as Chief Muzukkulu, made her entrance surrounded by hundreds of boda boda riders and groups of ghetto youth and students drawn from across Kampala and beyond.

As she moved through the packed grounds, chants of her name rippled through the crowd, momentarily shifting attention from the stage to the grassroots figure many supporters credit with energising the ruling party’s base.

The mood was celebratory and assertive, reflecting a confidence among supporters that the campaign had reached its decisive moment.

Much of the mobilisation had been carefully choreographed. One of the major groups set off from the Office of the National Chairman in Kyambogo before linking up with others along key city roads, turning the journey into a visible demonstration of numbers and organisation.

By the time the procession reached Kololo, the grounds were already filled with NRM supporters waving party colours and singing campaign songs, creating a scene that underscored the party’s reliance on street level energy as much as formal structures.

Observers say Namyalo’s growing influence within the party is rooted in sustained engagement with young people, many of whom feel directly connected to her approach.

Since taking up her role at ONC, she has prioritised outreach in urban communities and informal settlements, positioning herself as a bridge between the party leadership and voters who often feel distant from formal politics. “She speaks our language and listens,” said one youth supporter from Kisenyi, summing up a sentiment echoed by many at the rally.

Her current assignment as overall coordinator of President Museveni’s vote protection efforts has further elevated her profile. In recent remarks to supporters, Namyalo has stressed the importance of organisation and vigilance, urging NRM supporters to participate peacefully while safeguarding the President’s mandate.

Those close to her say the emphasis is on discipline and presence at every level of the electoral process, from polling day through the final tally.

Namyalo has also been closely associated with the Jajja Tova Ku Main campaign, a movement that gained traction nationwide as supporters publicly called on Museveni to seek another term in 2026.

The slogan, popular among the bazzukulu, has become shorthand for continuity and loyalty, themes that were repeatedly voiced by speakers and supporters throughout the Kololo rally.

As the President addressed the crowd later in the day, the significance of the moment was not lost on those present. The rally marked the climax of weeks of intensive mobilisation, with Kololo serving as both a symbolic and practical stage for the campaign’s final push.

For many supporters, the sheer scale of the turnout was seen as proof that the message had resonated, while for party strategists it offered reassurance that the grassroots machinery was firmly in motion as the country edged closer to polling day.