Teso leaders, under the pressure group Kazi Ni Kazi, have launched a mobilisation team to support Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba's 2031 presidential bid. The team, unveiled at a meeting in Soroti, aims to rally support for the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) and communicate the concerns of people in Teso. The meeting, led by Kazi Ni Kazi chairman Daniel Mulalu, discussed the group's strategy to mobilise support for PLU and develop a Teso Agenda to present to Gen Kainerugaba.
Gen Kainerugaba, who chairs PLU and serves as Chief of Defence Forces, publicly declared his intention to contest for president in the 2031 General Election. Kazi Ni Kazi, a foundation formed about five years ago, has resolved to establish a dedicated mobilisation structure for PLU in Teso. The group will use its grassroots structures to mobilise support for PLU and communicate the concerns of people in Teso. Mulalu said the group would develop a Teso Agenda, a document identifying the sub-region's key development concerns and proposals to be presented to Gen Kainerugaba.
The Teso Agenda will address issues such as poverty, education, and low industrial activity. A five-member committee, comprising lawyers, researchers, politicians, and others, has been constituted to research and finalise the agenda. The committee will ensure that the document is well-researched and serves as a guide for the group's grassroots mobilisation and engagement with residents. Former Serere County parliamentary aspirant Stephen Ariong said Teso needed a clear development agenda alongside political mobilisation.
Ariong cited the need for investment in urban centres, saying Soroti's economic activity remained limited outside daytime hours. He also noted that Teso had vast agricultural land and an educated youth population but lacked sufficient industrial opportunities. Samuel Akol, a Kumi District councillor, said political mobilisation should be conducted by people with strong links to communities at the grassroots. He cautioned against relying primarily on people based in Kampala to mobilise support in Teso.
Akol proposed that the Teso Agenda should prioritise education, employment, and industrialisation. He called for affirmative action for students from Teso seeking admission to universities and measures to address youth unemployment, including increased industrial investment. Teddy Acham, a national NRM mobiliser, urged Kazi Ni Kazi and PLU supporters in Teso to work together. She argued that PLU should not be presented as being opposed to the NRM, describing the two as connected.
Acham urged Gen Kainerugaba to involve elders and grassroots leaders in his mobilisation efforts. She described PLU as a civic movement and political pressure group operating within the NRM framework. Engeku Simon Julius, a former parliamentary aspirant in Ngora District, said supporters should concentrate on explaining PLU's proposed programmes to communities rather than relying on financial inducements.
PLU has already been conducting nationwide mobilisation for Gen Kainerugaba's 2031 bid, including an endorsement drive launched earlier this month. Kazi Ni Kazi officials said the five-member committee will undertake consultations and research before producing the proposed Teso Agenda, which they intend to present to the PLU leadership. The agenda is expected to guide the group's mobilisation efforts and engagement with residents in Teso.
Key points
- Teso leaders launch mobilisation team to support Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba's 2031 presidential bid.
- The Teso Agenda will address issues such as poverty, education, and low industrial activity.
- PLU has already been conducting nationwide mobilisation for Gen Kainerugaba's 2031 bid.
