NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi with deputy President for Eastern Uganda John Baptist Nambeshe….Photo/File

BUDUDA, Uganda (IP)

National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president for Eastern Uganda John Baptist Nambeshe on Monday said he is certain of victory in Manjiya County, predicting what he described as an inevitable transition of power from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to the opposition under NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

Speaking to supporters, Nambeshe said Uganda was on the brink of what he termed “a great era after a long and costly error,” arguing that voters were ready to abandon decades of NRM rule in favor of new leadership.

“This election is not about miracles. It is about correction,” Nambeshe said. “Ugandans have tested one system long enough. The transition from NRM to NUP is no longer a slogan — it is a public decision.”

Nambeshe represents Manjiya County in Bududa District and serves as Leader of the Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament.

He was first elected to Parliament in 2016 on the NRM ticket before defecting to NUP ahead of the 2021 elections.

He has previously served as LC5 Chairperson of Bududa District and earlier as LC3 Chairperson, making him one of the region’s most experienced political figures.

However, his confidence was accompanied by a sharp warning against election-related violence, which he blamed on supporters of his main NRM opponent.

“The organized militia attacks against my supporters must stop,” Nambeshe said. “The NRM candidate should drop this sense of entitlement and stop intimidating voters. Elections are not inherited; they are earned.”

He added that intimidation and violence would not reverse what he called a “clear political tide,” urging security agencies to act impartially.

Nambeshe stressed that NUP supporters would pursue victory through lawful and peaceful means, saying the party’s focus was on voter turnout rather than confrontation.

“We are not fighting people,” he said. “We are ending a chapter.”

Uganda’s general election campaign period has been marked by heightened political tension, with opposition figures repeatedly accusing ruling party supporters of harassment and voter suppression, allegations the government has previously denied.