Council for Abavandimwe Launches Museveni Re-Election Mobilisation Drive in Teso

Soroti City —

The Council for Abavandimwe led by Frank Gashumba, has officially launched a grassroots mobilisation drive to rally support for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s re-election bid in the Teso Sub-region.

The campaign was unveiled over the weekend at Rhino Camp Hotel in Soroti City, where hundreds of indigenous Banyarwanda living across Teso gathered for what organisers described as a “historic mobilisation conference.”

The mobilisation will run house to house, targeting both Banyarwanda and non-Banyarwanda communities in Soroti, Kumi, Serere, Bukedea, Katakwi, Ngora and Amuria districts, with the aim of galvanising support for Museveni ahead of the 2026 elections.

“This is Gratitude, Not Tribalism” – Gashumba

Addressing the gathering, Gashumba said the indigenous Banyarwanda had chosen to vigorously campaign for Museveni as an expression of gratitude for what he described as the President’s decisive action to restore their “stolen dignity” through Executive Order No.1 of 2025.

Frank Gashumba and the Council leadership

“Our dignity, our regained citizenship is the greatest gain we are protecting,” Gashumba said. “This is not about tribalism — it is about humanity and gratitude. President Museveni restored our identity when every institution had turned its back on us.”

Thousands of the indigenous Banyarwanda experienced psychological torture and humiliation for years as they were denied national IDs and passports, resulting in loss of jobs, scholarships, medical opportunities, and in some cases, the collapse of entire families.

Several members narrated painful cases where people were denied passports despite being born and raised in Uganda, leading to devastating consequences for the family.

A Decades-Long Struggle Resolved

According to Gashumba, the Banyarwanda community petitioned multiple government bodies — from NIRA and Immigration to Parliament, the IGG, the Equal Opportunities Commission, and the Uganda Human Rights Commission — but received no remedy until President Museveni intervened.

Through Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, the President directed that all discriminatory actions against indigenous Banyarwanda be halted and that their citizenship rights be reinstated.

Since then, national IDs and passports have been issued, allowing Banyarwanda to enjoy their full citizenship rights like restering businesses, acquiring land titles, traveling abroad for medical treatment, work, and education as well as accessing banking and communication services

“This Executive Order was not just a document — it was the rebirth of an entire community,” Gashumba told the cheering crowd.

Mobilisation Ahead of 2026 Elections

As the country moves toward the 15 January 2025 polls, the Council for Abavandimwe says it will mobilise every household in Teso to “protect the gains” made under President Museveni.

Gashumba emphasised that the community’s support for the President is rooted in a deep personal history, not political convenience.

“When someone restores your identity, your dignity, and your future, you do not forget. We will vote and campaign for President Museveni because he stood with us when no one else did.”

The Council has scheduled a series of district-level mobilisation tours starting next week, with teams of volunteers moving village to village to rally support for the NRM.

A Message to the Nation

Gashumba urged other Ugandan communities to understand that the Banyarwanda vote is not driven by ethnicity but by recognition of a leader who corrected a grave injustice.

“Our vote is not about tribe. It is about protecting the leader who restored our place in this country,” he said. “When someone gives you back your dignity, you protect that gain with your whole heart.”

The Teso mobilisation launch marks the beginning of what organisers promise will be a nationwide campaign by indigenous Banyarwanda to ensure President Museveni secures another term.