Though it was generally an incident-free exercise in Uganda’s more than 72,000 villages, the just-ended NRM primaries election cycle registered several hiccups. These have caused animosity among party’s rank and file-with many seniors, including Ministers, threatening to run as independents.
The ruling party’s opponents had already started salivating in the hope they can lure some of the disgruntled flag bearer races candidates into defecting to them. Gratefully, none of the aggrieved candidates has indicated readiness (so far) to defect to opposition and run on their ticket. They are all vowing to run as Independents affiliated to NRM.
This is very instructive about the strength NRM still commands in the whole country. We have areas like Buganda or urban parts of Uganda, where the opposition tends to be relatively strong. Yet even those aggrieved in such areas aren’t exhibiting any appetite to defect to an opposition party. This shows that even in areas where NRM is considered to be not very strong, still those aggrieved from its primaries aren’t adequately incentivized to defect to opposition.
This is based on what such aggrieved Movementists know and the feedback they keep getting from community members in such places.
They realize that even when the ruling NRM isn’t perfect in its elections, it remains the most viable option. And I agree with them because NUP, which would be the natural option being the so-called biggest opposition party, is clearly much worse. In their case, the NUPs don’t even vote. Essentially, it’s the principal who decides through the so-called Election Management Committee and in absence of any ascertainable formula, flag bearer aspirants’ fate can only depend on which side of the bed the so-called Principal wakes up that particular day.
NRM is the best option today, for any reasonable politician, and will remain so for some good time to come, for as long as its cadreship continues benefiting from President Museveni’s wise and selfless leadership. Always leading from the front, President Museveni has already moved ahead of everybody else-distinguishing himself as the chief whistle blower shining a torch of scrutiny on all problem electoral areas where electoral fraud manifested.
Leveraging his vastly-followed X platform, the President has been leading in volunteering information enumerating districts and areas where electoral officials either slept on the job or overtly orchestrated election fraud. Instead of working towards cover up, the President has opted for transparent methods of work whereby he has undertaken to keep updating the country on the progress being made by his trusted investigators from ISO and Police’s CID. It’s through his X updates that those who are aggrieved, having been unfairly edged out of party primaries, are now getting updated on what to expect.
It’s him who appointed a committee of eminent lawyers constituting the tribunal to which all aggrieved NRM primaries participants have been encouraged to petition. He has publicized this dispute resolution mechanism inside the party because it exists, unlike in some parties where such is unheard of. The President has gone ahead to embolden the tribunal by referring to it with a lot of reverence, making it clear he has a lot of hope in the processes they are going to be undertaking. That accords the aggrieved cadres the chance and platform to have their grievances heard and transparently inquired into. And all this can only happen in NRM, thanks for President Museveni’s rare leadership qualities.
This awareness that there is a dispute resolution mechanism, being spearheaded by eminent lawyers, gives confidence to aggrieved participants that there is no need to consider defecting to the so-called leading opposition party where things are never this certain. It’s for that same reason that not many such aggrieved participants have exhibited appetite, so far, to escalate matters to courts of law. Its evidence they have faith in the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism, a state of affairs that is being validated by the President’s outspokenness and consistency against electoral fraud.
Overlooking cynicism by his opponents, the President has always asserted that he is against election fraud and malpractices and his outspokenness against electoral fraud in the just-concluded NRM primaries is proof that he isn’t merely bluffing. He is prepared to ensure the right thing is done and that every grievance is inquired into-and this is the only way to have an inclusive process which accelerates cohesion inside the mighty NRM party.
It’s also remarkable that the President has been indiscriminate in condemning election fraud and has signalled that whoever orchestrated it, no matter who they are, is held to account. We have seen media reports indicating how soldiers and powerful people in some cases orchestrated election violence and fraud-and thankfully, the President has consistently been clear that they must all be held to account regardless of which rank they are.
This is consistent with the rule of law the Movement deliberately re-established in Uganda, implying that no one is or can ever be above the law. And perhaps taking cue from the high standard, the President has consistently set in his outspokenness against election fraudsters, the Defense Spokesman Gen Felix Kulayigye has made it clear that UPDF as an institution won’t be defending anyone.
They must carry their individual cross since criminal liability is personal under the Ugandan laws and practice. That is how it’s supposed to be in the Uganda led by the mighty NRM party which I can never regret choosing to belong to. It’s the party I chose consciously and to which I will always belong.
As a civically awake Ugandan, I’m hopeful that the national electoral commission, ably led by Justice Simon Byabakama, is keenly watching and picking lessons, guided by the high integrity standards the mighty NRM party top leadership has insisted upon, so that the 2026 general elections cycle turns out to be more compliant and more credible than any that this country has ever witnessed. There are lots of lessons the national EC ought to pick as Justice Byabakama rehearses for 2026.
To fellow NRM cadres, this is to you. Let’s all walk with our heads high because there is nothing to be ashamed of regarding what has happened so far since our party primaries were held. What Ugandans have witnessed in the past few days is indicative of the fact that Ugandan democracy, like that of America or any other developed country, is work in progress, with plenty of room for improvement.
There will always be agitation and contradictions at the end of every competitive election cycle and leadership, similar to what our President is well possessed with, is about nothing but the capacity and resilience to manage and harmonize such contradictions so that at the end of the day, those with best ideas and best case prevail and win while at the same time ensuring that everyone remains on board.
The Author, Brian K Tindyebwa, is an Advocate of the High Court & a senior grassroots mobilizer for the NRM Party based in Rubaga North Constituency.
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