By Our Reporter
The political storms that often dominate Parliament can easily distract Ugandans from another crisis quietly growing inside the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). But anyone who walks into the party headquarters on Kyadondo Road will discover that the deeper danger to the NRM may not come from the opposition at all—it may come from within its own structures.
At the center of the concern are the NRM Secretariat and the party’s Electoral Commission, institutions that many party loyalists now accuse of abandoning fairness, discipline, and internal democracy. What was once seen as the engine of the ruling party is increasingly viewed by frustrated mobilisers and former aspirants as a system captured by corruption, intimidation, and favoritism.
The allegations are serious. Former candidates who participated in the 2025 NRM primaries claim that party officials openly demanded money in exchange for party flags and electoral clearance. According to several accounts, candidates were allegedly told that popularity among voters meant little unless financial “facilitation” was provided to influential figures within the Secretariat.
For many grassroots supporters, this marked a dangerous turning point.
The NRM built its historical identity on discipline, sacrifice, and mass support. Yet critics now argue that those principles are being undermined by a culture where internal elections are allegedly manipulated long before voters cast ballots. Aspirants who lacked financial muscle reportedly found themselves sidelined, while others were disqualified under unclear circumstances.
These frustrations were reflected in the general elections that followed. Across several constituencies, voters rejected official NRM flag bearers and instead elected independent candidates—many of whom had previously contested within the party before falling out with the Secretariat. In districts such as Namutumba District, Kayunga District, and Bukedea District, the rise of independents exposed widening cracks within the ruling movement.
To many observers, these were not isolated losses. They were protest votes.
The anger extends beyond politicians. Grassroots mobilisers, media coordinators, and volunteers who spent years defending and promoting the party say they were abandoned after elections. Some claim they worked for months without pay or facilitation, only to be ignored once campaigns ended. The sense of betrayal has left many longtime supporters demoralized and disconnected from the party they once defended passionately.
The growing resentment now poses a strategic threat to the NRM’s long-term stability. Every disputed primary, every imposed candidate, and every frustrated mobiliser weakens the party’s credibility among ordinary supporters. Political analysts warn that unresolved internal divisions could cost the party heavily in future elections if reforms are not undertaken quickly.
Ironically, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni himself has repeatedly condemned electoral malpractice and corruption. Over the years, he has warned that rigging and manipulation betray both democracy and the values of the revolution. Supporters calling for reform now believe those same principles must be applied inside the NRM itself.
Many within the party are therefore demanding sweeping institutional reforms at Kyadondo Road. They want stronger oversight of party primaries, transparent dispute-resolution mechanisms, accountability for officials accused of misconduct, and renewed respect for grassroots structures.
Their message is simple: the NRM risks losing itself if it continues ignoring the frustrations of its own supporters.
The party still commands a vast support base across the country, but loyalty alone cannot sustain a political movement indefinitely. Trust, fairness, and internal accountability are equally essential. Without them, even the strongest political organizations can slowly erode from within.
For reform-minded cadres, the issue is no longer about individual ambitions or isolated complaints. It is about preserving the credibility and future of the movement itself.
As the NRM prepares for the next electoral cycle, the challenge before its leadership is becoming harder to ignore: reform the party machinery now, or risk watching internal discontent grow into a full political rebellion from within.
