The NRM delegates conference and national conference held at state house, Entebbe, and Kololo independence grounds, respectively, have marked a resounding climax to a captivating internal party election cycle 2025-2030. We have been tracking these elections starting in May at village/cell level all the way to the top. Congratulations to those elected to head the various leagues and leaders at the apex of the party, most outstanding being the National Chairman, Chairman, Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Head-Of-State, H.E Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
NRM has firm ground hinged on mass support and blessed with the most astute leadership at the top. What stops the party from achieving its goal of transforming the country at a “revolutionary pace”? In my view, that has to do with the performance of the party leagues-and structures? New zeal is needed in them!
From when NRM became a fully registered corporate organisation as a civilian political organisation in October 2003, and from the subsequent internal elections under the full multiparty dispensation, one weak point has been the performance of the party structures.
With roots set countrywide from village level, there is a point where this advantage isn’t apparent both during elections and outside of election season. The top party echelons are concerned about this contradiction. NRM has won every general election (Presidential) and dominated Parliament, Local Councils and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) five times in a row since 2006. The average vote percentage for President Museveni has been just over 60%. Given his seniority, experience and touch with the people, he should be garnering at least 70%.
I place his reduced score on underperformance by the respective party leagues which, if they performed optimally, would mobilise every segment of Ugandan society, leaving no one behind- in voting right. Automatically, the party would also perform better at Parliamentary and Local Council level.
Elections aside, a party in power functions better with active participation of its leagues in rallying citizens for development.
Unfortunately, the NRM’s leagues have left a lot to desire. Without undermining the effort of some true cadres giving it their all, there is a tendency of taking a back seat until the next elections, rendering the leagues ineffective. That passiveness denies Ugandans the perfect connection with the party they love and vote out of conviction.
Take the example of the youth league; when official records note that Uganda’s population is dominated by young people, it means that the dominant party, NRM, has majority members being youths. The youths want jobs, they need to be informed of Government programs and mobilised for wealth creation through the various initiatives being implemented by government; they need grooming and mentorship to grow up as responsible citizens ready to secure the future of Uganda. This ought to be the most vibrant and influential league that powers NRM’s wheel into the future. But you find some youths lost and taken advantage of by opposition groups that sacrifice them at the altar of unprincipled and risky adventures disguised as political competitiveness.
The women’s league; NRM traditionally commands dominance among women on account of the affirmative action and empowerment programmes that have put “mothers of the nation” and girls at the forefront of nation building and transformation.
Entrepreneurs league: In the era of Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, GROW and other programs tailored to make Ugandans rich, this league should be very busy providing mentorship and business tips to citizens to enable them grow the seed capital they receive from Government to set up their own mid-level and, subsequently, high value enterprises. I have no record of this league actively being involved in monitoring and independently drumming up these initiatives.
Workers league; this one would be actively concerned with the rights and working conditions of workers and advocating for policies that reward the labour of citizens better. Workers contribute a sizeable fraction to the national economy and tax payers’ purse.
Using the above-mentioned leagues as an example, the acclaim and stiff competition that accompanies campaigns and elections to elect their leaders is not reflected in performance after the fact. That suggests that people are in for ambitious goals of clinching positions with less interest in serving the party.
This is dangerous for a party founded on the ideology of self-sacrifice and people-centered service. We live in times when expectations of the populace are increasing by the day, with all eyes on much the ruling party. All NRM members and leaders at various levels should realise that it is not business as usual. Longevity in power confers heavier responsibility upon those entrusted with the people’s mandate. It’s the frustration of failure to get answers that misleads Ugandans to side with opposition parties that are much less equipped to satisfy them.
Endemic laxity is equally notable in the broader party structures when it comes to mobilisation and implementation of the party Manifesto. How else does one explain low voter turnout during the primaries in many places when the party register indicates a membership of eligible voters of over 18million? Where are these members when it matters most? Where are they when needed to publicise government programs and defend the party’s record? Whenever voting office bearers, members should always demand for a scorecard of contestants on how they have served and contributed to the party to justify their suitability.
In the local governments, there is a tendency to sideline NRM leaders from activities yet it’s the party’s Manifesto being implemented. Such, and more, are weak areas which affect the overall performance of NRM both in service delivery and at elections. Plug the loopholes and NRM is unstoppable, next year and beyond!
Congratulations to all the newly elected leaders, including flagbearers, the NRM Secretariat and Electoral Commission that organised and oversaw these activities and the Elections Tribunal that handled disputes arising. Internal competition should never tear the party apart! Rather, it should afford the party internal leadership that perfectly aligns with the Vision of the National Chairman to make Uganda a modern, stable, prosperous and functional country while securing the gains accomplished over time.
The author is the Special Presidential Assistant-Press & Mobilisation/Deputy Press Secretary
Email: faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug
0776980486/0783990861
