Daisy Arinda Kankiriho, former guild president of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), has been officially nominated to contest for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer position for Western Youth Member of Parliament ahead of the 2026 General Election.
Speaking after her nomination, Arinda emphasized that her campaign will center on empowering young people through wealth and job creation initiatives. She joins a growing list of youthful aspirants seeking to redefine youth leadership in Uganda by addressing long-standing issues such as unemployment and limited economic opportunity.
“My agenda is clear: empowering the youth in wealth and job creation,” Arinda stated. “We can’t talk about development when young people are struggling to find meaningful work or start businesses. We must focus on equipping them with both the skills and access to capital.”
Arinda’s background in student leadership has positioned her as a familiar face among university youth, particularly in the western region. Her entry into the race intensifies competition within the NRM primaries, especially as fellow candidate Elizabeth Kakwanzi has also placed unemployment at the center of her campaign.
Arinda said she plans to work closely with government programs to ensure young people can tap into funding opportunities, vocational training, and mentorship. She also emphasized the need for youth-inclusive policy development at the national level.
“Youth must not only be beneficiaries but also contributors to Uganda’s economic transformation,” she said.
With the 2026 elections approaching, Arinda’s candidacy signals a generational shift in political engagement. Whether her message will translate into political traction remains to be seen, but she has made it clear that she is in the race to push for actionable change.
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