Clash over Museveni 2026 slogan heats up
NRM National Coordinator Hadijja Uzeiye Namyalo signs on a banner with a picture of President Museveni as they relaunched the Office of the National Chairman in Kyambogo, Kampala, on October 19, 2022, and also endorsed President Museveni as their candidate in the 2026 presidential elections. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- On his part, Mr Gashumba said he was supposed to be the brand manager of the Tova Ku Main campaign but was undercut.
Three years to the 2026 General Election, the catchphrase that is rallying President Museveni to extend his rule into a fourth decade has sparked off a legal contest over patent rights.
According to documents seen by Monitor, Mr Frank Gashumba filed a copyright application at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) on May 16, laying claim to the Jajja Tava Ku Main (loosely translated as: old man don’t leave the seat of power) catchphrase.
Mr Gashumba further claims that he authored the catchphrase on November 5, 2022.
The socio-political commentator’s application has been contested by Mr Museveni’s senior advisor and NRM mobiliser, Hadijja Uzeiye Namyalo. Through K&K advocates, Ms Namyalo says she commenced use of Omalako Jajja Tova ku Main Sigala Ku Ballot: Jajja we command you to Stand Again in 2026 and Beyond Bazukulu Ba Museveni on October 19, 2022.
Whereas in his application, Mr Gashumba says his authorship dates back to November 2022, Ms Namyalo claims to have in her possession evidence of widespread use and public exposure of the catchphrase via various online and offline media, as well as public events on dates preceding this.
“[Mr Gashumba’s] attempt to copyright my works represents an infringement of my intellectual property rights that I created in the course of my work as the head of the Office of the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement,” Ms Namyalo says.
When contacted, Mr Gashumba said he came up with the catchphrase after Ms Namyalo gave him the assignment on account of being “a good brand strategist.” He further disclosed that Ms Namyalo asked him to come up with a catchphrase that incorporated the abazukulu noun.
President Museveni has severally used the noun to describe Uganda’s youth.
Mr Gasumba said he was asked to ensure the abazukulu were asking Mr Museveni to stand again in 2026 in the catchphrase.
“As a businessman, I said fine: ‘I don’t support NRM, I don’t subscribe to NRM, but this is purely business.’ I consulted my brother because he understands these things. So, we came up with Toweta Jajja. Tova ku main,” Mr Gasumba told Saturday Monitor.
In her application, Ms Namyalo says she developed the now-contested catchphrase with a group of NRM youth members. She adds that they are based on their own creativity and ingenuity.
“As the originator, I hold the exclusive rights to this creative work and oppose any attempts to claim copyright ownership over it by the applicant,” she said.
If Gashumba proceeds to register the catchphrase as his, Ms Namyalo contends that it will create confusion among the general public regarding its true originator.
She further notes that Mr Gashumba’s copyright application contains the name, image, and likeness of Museveni without his consent.
She claims such a move will lead to the public believing Gashumba is the rightful owner and creator of the work, and that he has the authority of Mr Museveni to use his name, image, and likeness, thereby diluting his reputation and unfairly benefiting the applicant.
“Given the significant investment of time, effort, and resources in building and promoting this phrase, I have a legitimate interest in protecting the established rights. I have reasonable belief the applicant filed the copyright application in bad faith with the intention to unfairly exploit and infringe upon the established rights in the works,” she said.
Mr Gashumba’s work, Ms Namyalo adds, appears to be a combination of elements, including words and phrases that are non-distinctive and commonly used within the political campaign context.
“The inclusion of non-distinctive elements doesn’t meet the threshold of the originality required for copyright protection,” she reasons, adding, “Therefore, the registration of such work would undermine the purpose of copyright law and dilute the rights of true creators and originators.” Based on those grounds, Ms Namyalo has asked the registrar of copyrights to reject Mr Gashumba’s applications.
“I’m prepared to provide additional evidence such as date materials, media coverage, witness statements, or any other supporting documentation to further substantiate my claim of originality and prior use,” she said.
On his part, Mr Gashumba said he was supposed to be the brand manager of the Tova Ku Main campaign but was undercut.
“That baby called Tova Ku Main was delivered by Frank Gashumba and I’m ready to prove that,” Mr Gashumba, who has styled himself as a supporter of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s presidential push, said.
"Ms Namyalo gave me the assignment [to come up with a catchphrase] on account of being “a good brand strategist. As a businessman, I said fine: ‘I don’t support NRM, I don’t subscribe to NRM, but this is purely business.’ I consulted my brother because he understands these things. So, we came up with Toweta Jajja. Tova ku main,” said Frank Gashumba, socio-political commentator
"Mr Gashumba’s attempt to copyright my works represents an infringement of my intellectual property rights that I created in the course of my work as the head of the Office of the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement,” said Hadijja Uzeiye Namyalo, President Museveni’s senior advisor and NRM mobiliser.
