By Joshua Muzira
In the vibrant political landscape of Uganda, where youth bulge meets historical legacy, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) stands as a testament to enduring power. Founded in 1986 as a liberation force that toppled a regime of instability, the NRM has governed for nearly four decades under President Yoweri Museveni, evolving from a guerrilla movement into a dominant political machine.
At its core, the party’s ethos emphasizes participatory democracy, empowering marginalized groups, including women, youth, elders, and people with disabilities, to shape public affairs.
Yet, as Uganda hurtles toward the 2026 elections, a pressing question looms: Can the NRM sustain its relevance through intergenerational leadership? This article explores the dynamics of blending veteran wisdom with youthful vigor, the challenges of succession, and the stakes for Uganda’s democratic future.
The NRM’s Foundational Commitment to Youth Empowerment.
From its inception, the NRM positioned itself as a people’s movement, prioritizing broad-based inclusion over elite capture. The party’s constitution enshrines principles of transparency, accountability, and merit-based leadership, explicitly calling for the integration of youth into decision-making structures at village, parish, sub-county, and national levels.
This was no mere rhetoric; early NRM cabinets were notably diverse, drawing from across ethnic, religious, and regional lines to foster national unity.
Decentralization through local councils further amplified youth voices, allowing young Ugandans to participate in governance from the grassroots up. The 2021-2026 NRM Manifesto underscores this legacy, pledging investments in skilling hubs, job creation via commercial agriculture and ICT, and expanded access to secondary education—all tailored to harness the demographic dividend of a youth population comprising over 78% of citizens under 35.
Programs like Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM) are designed not just for economic uplift but to cultivate a pipeline of informed, engaged young leaders who can carry the “Movement” forward. President Museveni himself has championed this vision, recently urging artisans and entrepreneurs to form group-owned companies for “intergenerational growth,” a metaphor that extends to politics: sustainable leadership that outlives individuals.
In Kazo District, for instance, Museveni highlighted how NRM initiatives have empowered youth dropouts to become self-employed innovators, crediting the party with creating 1.3 million factory jobs—far surpassing public sector employment.
Emerging Young Leaders: Fresh Faces in the Fold.
NRM’s structures are teeming with intergenerational promise. Youth leagues and councils serve as incubators, where figures like State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara collaborate with veterans to refine policies.
Recent district elections in May 2025 exemplified this shift: Newly elected chairpersons, including former FDC member John Enomu in Soroti City and FUFA President Hashim Magogo in Buyende, vowed to infuse “young blood” into the party to counter opposition appeal among millennials.
Enomu’s pledge to recruit dynamic youth signals a strategic pivot, recognizing that the NRM’s parliamentary dominance—over 300 seats—must evolve to retain the 62% youth unemployment demographic disillusioned by stagnant opportunities.
Prominent young turks like Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and a senior military officer, embody this generational bridge. At 49, Muhoozi leads the Patriotic League Uganda, a youth-centric faction within NRM structures, backed by MPs such as David Kabanda and Michael Mawanda.
From the MK Movement more youths like Hon. Nyamutooro, Hon. Lilian Aber together with Balaam were given ministerial positions as a signal that the youth should be incorporated in the leadership to work alongside the more experienced leaders so as to be mentored for greatness.
MK’s rise has sparked debates on merit versus nepotism, but supporters argue it represents a natural evolution, grooming leaders who blend revolutionary zeal with modern sensibilities. External initiatives, like the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy’s (NIMD) Multiparty Youth Forum, further bolster this by facilitating cross-party and intergenerational dialogues, where NRM youth engage elders to dismantle stereotypes and build coalitions.
Alumni from NIMD’s Uganda Democracy Academy have ascended to roles like Chair of Youth Councilors in Buganda, proving the efficacy of such mentorship.
Challenges: Commercialization, Exclusion, and Succession Shadows.
Despite these strides, intergenerational leadership faces headwinds. Youth wings decry the “commercialization” of politics, where financial barriers sideline capable aspirants from humble backgrounds. In October 2025, disgruntled NRM youth in the National Youth Council (NYC) elections accused the party of favoritism and disqualifications, threatening to back independents or withhold votes.
Leaders like Grace Nuwahereza Beshekyesa and youth representative Moro warned that excluding the poor contradicts NRM values, potentially alienating the very base the party mobilized in its early, inclusive days.
Succession looms largest. With Museveni, now 81, eyeing a seventh term, whispers of a “dynastic” handover to Muhoozi intensify tensions.
Veterans like Kahinda Otafiire and Jessica Alupo have endorsed Museveni as the sole 2026 candidate, sidelining younger contenders and fueling fears of a “bloody succession war” if youth ambitions are stifled.
Analysts note that without a clear, merit-driven transition, the NRM risks fragmentation, echoing the 2016 split with Amama Mbabazi.
Corruption scandals and human rights critiques further erode trust, with youth unemployment at 62% undermining the party’s economic narrative.
Moreover, the NRM’s historical tolerance for dissent has waned, with bills like the Public Order Management Act curbing assembly—moves that alienate tech-savvy youth drawn to opposition figures like Bobi Wine.
A Path Forward: Mentorship, Merit, and Renewal
For the NRM to thrive, intergenerational leadership must transcend tokenism. Initiatives like chaka-mchaka political education—revived for the 2020 referendum—could be retooled to mentor youth on policy innovation, not just loyalty.
Platforms such as NIMD’s intergenerational dialogues offer a blueprint: Pairing elders with young leaders to co-create solutions, from climate-resilient agriculture to digital governance.
The party’s 38th anniversary in 2024 highlighted this potential, with calls for a “new dawn” amid chaotic grassroots polls.
By prioritizing ballot-tested successors over anointed heirs, the NRM could democratize its future, ensuring the “steady progress” of stability and growth endures.
Conclusion: Uganda’s Youth as the Ultimate Heirs to NRM’s intergenerational journey is at a crossroads. Its early embrace of inclusive politics laid a foundation for empowerment, but sustaining it demands confronting commercialization, fostering meritocracy, and embracing transparent succession
For a nation where youth are not just voters but visionaries, the NRM’s ability to bridge generations will define not only its survival but Uganda’s democratic vitality.
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