The President of the Umuvandimwe community, Frank Gashumba, has intensified his nationwide mobilisation of Banyankole communities to support and re-elect President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, describing him as the most capable leader to continue steering Uganda forward.
Gashumba made the remarks while addressing large gatherings of Banyankole at Rhino Camp in Soroti, where members of the community from various districts across the Teso region converged to express their solidarity and support for the President.
He noted that his mobilisation tour targets Banyankole families across the country, engaging them and offering guidance ahead of the elections. According to Gashumba, his upcoming engagements will take him to KIU, Masindi, and Pallisa districts.
Speaking during the meeting, Gashumba said the purpose of their visit to Teso was to meet leaders of Umuvandimwe, a local organisation that advocates for the rights of indigenous Banyarwanda communities.
He emphasised that Teso has a large population of Banyarwanda, and it was important to explain to them why they should rally behind President Museveni.
He thanked both the Banyankole and the Iteso communities who attended the gathering, praising their patriotism and loyalty to the NRM party.
He urged them to continue mobilising, insisting that President Museveni remains “the only eligible candidate” capable of sustaining Uganda’s progress.
Gashumba highlighted peace and stability as key achievements of President Museveni’s leadership, noting that unlike neighbouring countries such as South Sudan, Uganda has maintained consistent security under Museveni’s stewardship.
He also addressed long-standing concerns over discrimination in accessing national identification documents such as National IDs, passports, and visas.
According to Gashumba, for the past ten years many of their people were denied these documents.
However, he said President Museveni issued an executive order directing that the Ministry of Internal Affairs should not determine who is Ugandan instead, the responsibility was placed on local authorities including RDCs and LC3 chairpersons.
“Because of this directive, I can confirm that our people can now receive National IDs, passports, and visas without discrimination. It is about restoring our dignity as citizens,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tom Olinga Otukol, the RDC of Kapelebyong District, described the meeting as significant because it brought together the Umuvandimwe council and its leader, Frank Gashumba, to mobilise support for President Museveni.
He said such efforts simplify their work in Teso, noting that many people willingly support the President and the NRM government.
“This is concrete mobilisation for already secured votes for His Excellency Yoweri Museveni among the Banyankole, Banyavuma, and all cattle keepers in this region,” Olinga said.
He added that the presence of the Umuvandimwe council is expected to yield positive results for the President.
He clarified that Kapelebyong hosts a mixed economy where communities live peacefully, and in some cases, Balaalo help care for animals belonging to the Iteso.
Olinga referenced Executive Order No. 3 of 2023, which guides the eviction of undisciplined Balaalo from different parts of the country.
He noted that people from districts such as Kumi, Pallisa, Ngora, and Bukedea have migrated to Kapelebyong with their cattle, and are sometimes wrongly labeled as Balaalo despite being native Iteso.
He said local leaders manage such cases individually and only evict those found grazing on other people’s crops.
About Author
