Ugandan activists unveil ‘Bye-bye Museveni’ prayer campaign to end four-decade corruption, human rights abuse
The coordinator 'Bye-bye Museveni' National prayer campaign, Ms Agnes Namaganda (centre), addresses journalists as Mr Richard Walugembe (left), an artist and Mr Moses Mugisha (right), a Medical practitioner/human rights activist, look on in Kampala on May 15, 2025. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- According to her, the prayers will be held every morning, led by an individual picked at random.
A section of young Ugandan activists who believe that only God has the powers to remove President Museveni, 80, from State House and end the misery of many Ugandans, have launched a 40-day anti-Museveni prayer campaign, hoping that Uganda would, after the 2026 polls get a new leader for a fresh start and a better country.
Through the prayers dubbed “Bye bye Museveni”, scheduled to officially start on June 1, 2025, the activists believe Ugandans will be saved from corruption, impunity, vote rigging, security brutality, among other human rights abuses that have prominently featured in the four-decade rule of Mr Museveni ever since he shot his way to State House in 1986 before promising a fundamental change to millions of citizens who at the time supported his cause.
Speaking at the campaign launch in Kampala on Thursday, the group’s chief mobiliser Ms Agnes Namaganda, said the campaign will run in all districts of Uganda, involving all religions professed in the East African nation, including witchdoctors.
“We realised that as we go into 2026, there is a need for a game changer if we want to see the regime change and end our misery. We have several Ugandans, both in opposition and in the ruling government, who are dissatisfied with the actions of this government, especially President Museveni. We call upon all of you to join this campaign,” she said.
According to her, the nationwide prayer campaign is a desperate attempt to petition God to correct all the wrongs that have happened to many innocent and vulnerable Ugandans who have reportedly endured poverty, poor health services, poor transport, and security brutality, among others, under the leadership of Mr Museveni’s government.
“Since we believe in the power of prayer, we ask God that after 2026, President Museveni doesn't come back. We know that for him to maintain his grip on power, there have been a lot of electoral malpractices over the years, such as ballot stuffing, and many other forms of human rights violations. At this point, we need prayers as a country,” she said.
According to her, the prayers will be held every morning, led by an individual picked at random.
“As Ugandans, we are saying that, can you wake up every morning and in the privacy of maybe your house or the toilet, wherever you can do to drop a tear at the throne of God asking him to give us a new leader that is going to steer this country in the right direction after the 2026 elections,” Ms Namaganda implored.
When contacted for a comment, the NRM director for information and publicity, Mr Emmanuel Dombo, said, "all leadership is willed by God, and so are the leaders. God cannot be recruited into nefarious plans of individuals, and I am very sure, those praying shall be converted to appreciate Museveni's goodness to Ugandans."
