National Unity Platform (NUP) president and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi has called on party leaders to prioritise grassroots mobilisation in their respective constituencies instead of accompanying him on the campaign trail.
Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, made the remarks at the NUP headquarters in Makerere Kavule during the party’s event to unpack its manifesto — a blueprint he said represents the dreams and priorities of Uganda’s new generation.
“You leaders, I really love your company during the trail, but I’d rather that you spend more time in your constituencies,” Kyagulanyi told the gathering.
“Inform people, build teams that can help in achieving the dream.”
He said the manifesto reflects the collective aspirations of young Ugandans who desire a nation built on justice, opportunity, and shared responsibility, urging party leaders to take its message directly to the people.
“The picture of the Uganda we want is not clear. We are not mere ‘agende’ as Mao has always put it. We are fighting to be able to paint our own destiny,” Kyagulanyi said.
“These ideas represent a new generation that wants to see a new country.”
The NUP leader underscored that the same call to action he was making to the people — to organise, educate, and mobilise — also applies to the party’s own leaders.
“We are going to build a new country for ourselves and our children, for ourselves and by ourselves,” he said.
“These are dreams that can be achieved if we take the necessary steps. In life, we don’t get what we deserve; we get what we fight for.”
Kyagulanyi cautioned against opportunism in politics, saying the party’s mission is rooted in integrity, not material rewards.
“We are not going to give rice or promise what we cannot deliver. Every leader will be charged with the responsibility to deliver on our vision. This will be everyone’s mandate to implement,” he said.
He further encouraged NUP leaders to simplify the manifesto in their local languages and use different communication tools — including music, art, and social media — to help citizens understand what the party stands for.
“Use your talents to make the message understandable. Even if someone doesn’t support NUP, help them see what Uganda can become,” Kyagulanyi said.
Anticipating possible communication restrictions, he urged leaders to prepare alternative means of coordination and to form local discussion groups to sustain political engagement at the community level.
“Find alternative means of communication; we know it can be cut off anytime. Sit together, form discussion groups, burn the midnight candles. You never know—your group could be the one that comes up with the solution that will deliver our country,” he said.
Kyagulanyi concluded by reminding supporters that the manifesto is not just a campaign document, but a commitment to collective struggle and transformation.
“Make it clear to the people what they are voting for. Anyone choosing the umbrella is choosing the fight for dignity, freedom, and a new Uganda,” he said.
The manifesto unpacking marked a renewed phase in NUP’s mobilisation drive, as Kyagulanyi urged both leaders and citizens to take ownership of the vision and work together to turn the party’s promises into reality.