The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has intensified grassroots mobilisation in Adjumani West Constituency, deploying campaign teams to all 99 villages as it seeks to secure victory for its flag bearer, James Pilli Leku, in the September 17 by-election.
NRM leaders and mobilisers are moving from village to village to engage voters, explain the party’s development record and rally support for Mr Leku.
The strategy is being implemented alongside the party’s parish and sub-county mobilisation programmes, with party leaders saying direct community engagement is necessary because of the limited time remaining before polling day.
NRM vice chairperson for Northern Uganda Hamson Obua said campaign teams had been deployed to ensure that every village is reached.
“On the campaign of our candidate, James Pilli Leku, we have deployed a village-to-village approach. There are 99 villages that we shall reach within this limited period,” Mr Obua said.
He said the approach would enable party leaders to engage voters directly instead of relying mainly on large rallies.
The mobilisation drive has already covered parts of Adjumani Town Council, including Biyaya, Central and Cesia wards, where party leaders held more than 15 rallies on the second day of the campaign.
NRM director of mobilisation and cadre development Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde said the party held about 15 rallies on the first day of the official campaign before shifting its focus to Adjumani Town Council.
She said the mobilisation would continue ahead of President Yoweri Museveni’s campaign rally in Adjumani on Tuesday.
The President is expected to rally voters behind Mr Leku, citing the NRM’s record on peace, infrastructure development and wealth creation.
Ms Seninde said the campaign was also aimed at rebuilding unity within the NRM following divisions that emerged during the party’s primary elections.
“Our campaign strategy as a team is to mobilise the masses and the people to promote unity. Much as we are campaigning for a candidate to win, we are campaigning for unity. That is the most important thing,” she said.
She welcomed the withdrawal of former NRM primary contestants Ben Anyama, Patrick Tandrupasi and Daniel Izale, saying their decision would help consolidate support behind the party’s flag bearer.
Ms Seninde said the withdrawals followed engagements with the former contestants and were voluntary, adding that the party wanted to prevent internal competition from weakening its support base during the by-election.
Mr Obua said the major challenge facing the NRM in Adjumani was internal cohesion rather than competition from rival political groups.
“Our Adjumani District, first of all, supports the National Resistance Movement. If there are challenges in Adjumani, they are more internal challenges within the NRM than external,” he said.
Mr Leku, meanwhile, appealed to his former competitors to join his campaign and work together for the development of Adjumani West if he is elected.
He pledged to pursue development priorities associated with the late General Moses Ali, including the Obongi-Adjumani road, development of Adjumani Stadium and efforts to have Adjumani Town elevated to a municipality.
Mr Leku said he harboured no ill feelings towards those who contested against him in the NRM primary and that he was already engaging some of them.
“When people contest an NRM primary election, you are a relative who competes for the seat. And when you win the seat, you are chosen as an NRM flag bearer. Therefore, I have no bad heart for those who contested with me,” Mr Leku said.
He urged his former opponents to join his campaign and work together to advance the constituency’s development agenda.
President Museveni’s campaign visit is expected to provide a major mobilisation boost as the NRM seeks to consolidate its grassroots support ahead of the September 17 by-election.
