By Aggrey Baba
Reports from Kampala indicate that NRM structures are planning to use ghetto groups to influence the upcoming elections. These groups, drawn from city slums and boxing clubs, are accused of being mobilized to disrupt opposition agents, seize declaration forms, and interfere with polling stations.
The practice is not new, as in Kawempe South, candidate Madina Nsereko was said to have relied on the same networks in the last elections. Instead of holding major campaigns, she depended on posters while ghetto groups mobilized on her behalf.
Sources point at individuals such as Mustafa “Taafa” and Joshua, who are linked to Zebra Boxing Club, as part of the team being organized. Recently, the NRM party Chairman and president of Uganda, YK Museveni reportedly gave these groups UGX 100 million, officially to empower them, though critics allege the money is meant to prepare them for electoral operations in Kampala.
In Kawempe North, during Nalukoola’s campaign, the same groups were accused of dismantling ballot boxes and targeting polling stations with high voter turnout. Opposition leaders say this was meant to reduce their strength at the ballot.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has also raised concerns that the same strategy is being turned inward to weaken their ranks. Dr. Roy Ssemboga has repeatedly been accused of using ghetto groups to attack Fred Nyanzi (his competitor, with whom they’re facing off for the NUP ticket for Kawempe South MP seat), and other candidates.
Watchers believe this could be part of a wider plan to divide the opposition and weaken its performance in Kampala.
In past elections, the impact was visible. NUP’s Kazibwe Bashir emerged with strong results, including 26855 votes in one polling station, while both NRM and other rivals struggled. With Kampala seen as a key opposition stronghold, sources say the deployment of ghetto groups is expected to spark more tensions as campaigns for 2026 intensify.
