NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong has declared that the ruling party has steadily overcome political resistance in Buganda, insisting that voters in the central region have developed a deeper understanding of the National Resistance Movement due to its historical role in Uganda’s liberation struggle.
Speaking during a one-on-one interview on UBC TV, Todwong said NRM’s growing presence in Buganda is the result of sustained engagement rather than confrontation.
“Our success in Buganda can be defined by the saying that persistence breaks resistance. The people in Buganda understand the NRM more than anybody else because of their contribution to the liberation struggle of the 1980s,” Todwong said.
Buganda, Uganda’s central region and cultural heartland, has for years maintained a complex relationship with the NRM government, often marked by disagreements over land ownership, federalism, and political autonomy.
While recent elections have shown incremental gains for the NRM, the region remains a stronghold of opposition forces, particularly the National Unity Platform (NUP), which continues to command significant support among urban and youth voters.
Todwong’s remarks have triggered sharp reactions on social media, with critics accusing the NRM of exaggerating its popularity in Buganda and questioning the credibility of past electoral outcomes.
Despite the criticism, NRM maintains that it commands between 40 and 50 percent support in parts of Buganda.