Office Of the National Chairman(ONC) manager Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye has won a case in which self seekers Frank Gashumba and Lwengo LCV chairperson Ibrahim Kitata claimed ownership and copyrights of the popular ‘Jajja Tova Ku Main’ slogan widely used to promote president Museveni’s candidature for 2026 elections and beyond.
The development comes after Gashumba and Kitatta filed a case at Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) claiming ownership of the ‘Omalako Jajja Tova Ku Main’ a slogan that has been widely used by Hajjat Namyalo to endorse President Museveni for upcoming 2026 elections and beyond.
However while delivering the ruling today, URSB dismissed their case noting that claims of Gashumba and Kitatta were unfounded.
Gashumba was in this case represented by his lawyer Blaire Ntambi, while Kitatta was represented by lawyer Doreen Nakyonyi, and Namyalo was represented by Usama Sebuwufu.
The ‘Tova Ku Main’ slogan championed by Hajjat Namyalo gained momentum in late 2022 and is frequently used at NRM functions and events where President Yoweri Museveni has been endorsed for extending his leadership beyond 2026.
The dispute for its ownership began in May 2023 when Gashumba applied for registration with the URSB. In his application, Gashumba claimed to have created the slogan on May 16th, 2023, at the request of Hadijah Namyalo.
Subsequently, URSB published a notice of registration on May 23rd, 2023, inviting objections from the public within a 60-day period. Namyalo promptly objected to Gashumba’s application, asserting her ownership claim in a letter to the Registrar of Copyright dated June 5th, 2023. She claimed to have officially started using the slogan on October 19th, 2022, during the launch of a bid urging President Museveni to run for the presidency in 2026.
On June 26th, 2023, Ibrahim Kitatta, through his lawyers, also filed documents objecting to both Namyalo and Gashumba’s claims. Kitatta stated that he originated the slogan, launching it on October 17th, 2022, at Zebra Hotel in Masaka City, two days prior to Namyalo’s use.
Kitatta further mentioned that he applied for copyright protection on January 27th, 2023 and that URSB issued a notice of application on February 13th, 2023 but it seems all these were just ‘words’ not facts thus URSB ruling in favor of Namyalo.
