Alhaji Kirunda Defends PLU Membership Drive, Clarifies Gen. Muhoozi’s Presidential Ambitions

KAMPALA — Alhaji Faruk Kirunda, the Special Presidential Assistant–Press and Mobilisation and Deputy Press Secretary to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has defended the Patriotic League of Uganda’s (PLU) registration and endorsement drive, describing it as an innovative approach to measuring public support.

Alhaji Kirunda, a member of PLU with Patriotic Officer number 132, said the exercise was designed to register and mobilise members using their national identification details and contact information, with the target of attracting more members than the number of registered voters who participated in the 2026 elections.

In a post on his official X account on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, he likened the initiative to an opinion poll but argued that it relied on identifiable individuals rather than randomly selected respondents.

He said some political groups had previously claimed electoral victories based on opinion polls involving people who were neither party members nor registered voters.

“PLU’s registration and endorsement drive is a smart method that no existing organisation has attempted before,” Alhaji Kirunda wrote, arguing that the initiative offered a different way of gauging political support.

The PLU membership drive comes amid political mobilisation following the 2026 general elections, with political organisations seeking to expand their membership and demonstrate their support base.

Alhaji Kirunda also sought to clarify the position of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba regarding his reported presidential ambitions, saying the general had indicated that his bid would come after Museveni rather than challenge the incumbent for the presidency.

He said the remarks had been misunderstood by some people, while others were deliberately misrepresenting them to create tension and uncertainty in the country’s political discourse.

“On Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s supposed bid for the Presidency, clearly he has stated that his bid is after H.E. Museveni and not challenging him for the seat,” he said.

He added that the interpretation of Muhoozi’s position had generated what he described as unnecessary anxiety and friction in Uganda’s public space.

Alhaji Kirunda’s comments come amid public discussion about political succession within the ruling establishment and the future leadership of the country.

The PLU, associated with the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF),Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has been involved in mobilisation activities aimed at expanding its membership and building a national support base.