I don’t want to just pop up on the ballot — Gen Muntu

KAMPALA - Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu has said he does not want to just pop up on the ballot in the 2026 election because it has many challenges.

He said this on Tuesday (March 18) after being asked by one of his supporters on X, formerly Twitter, to do them a favour and appear on the ballot in 2026 because Uganda needs him for the “big shift” of political transition.

Muntu, who performed dismally in the 2021 presidential election after garnering 67,574 votes (0.65%), told his supporter, Gratian Nareebah, that they also need to focus a lot on party organisational work.

He said party organisational work involves brand building, communications, fundraising, candidate selection and preparation, among others.

“Just popping up on the ballot alone has its many challenges. The reason why we are currently focusing on organisational work,” Uganda’s longest-ever serving army commander said.

Catherine Namuga, another follower on X, said ANT should up its game and that it is “very sad” that Muntu “never gives us morale”.

“Catherine, when we lift, we will soar. You will feel proud of what ANT will do. It will be so self-evident that you will not need to argue with anybody. In the meantime, remain hopeful and be resilient,” he said.

Muntu added that “unfortunately struggles of this nature tend not be like walks in the park”.

He also told another follower that there has to be political formations in which the dominant tendency is of leaders who believe in good governance.

“Short of that the next lot won’t be much different. And the lot after, until we have leaders who are capable of breaking us out of this vicious cycle. Build such formations,” he told government critic Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who is self-exiled in Germany.

The 2021 presidential election that attracted 11 candidates saw incumbent Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement carry the day with 58.38% votes.

Many analysts say Muntu is a long-distance runner whose project is long-term and didn’t seem to be bothered by short-term gains of the last elections. 

They explain that if he moves one step, he will congratulate himself and if he moves two steps, he will also give himself a pat on the back.