Todwong: Those pushing for Museveni 2026 are wishful thinkers 

Today, NBS TV hosted  National Resistance Movement Secretary General Richard Todwong and  National Unity Platform’s (NUP) senior counsel and Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona to discuss the latest political developments in Uganda. The two politicians hosted by NBS TV's Simon Kaggwa Njala particularly discussed moves by certain sections of the NRM to urge President Yoweri Museveni to stand again in 2026... below are the excerpts 

 

Kaggwa Njala: Where does the NRM stand on the people who are pushing for the endorsement of Museveni for 2026?

Todwong: I am sure you know NRM, we don’t discuss rumours, we don’t discuss speculation, we don’t discuss gossip. It is still too early to start talking about 2026. We have just been in office for one year and within the one year, we are trying to do stock taking on what we promised Ugandans during the last elections and how far we have been able to achieve within the period of a year. 

Some of these are diversionary issues that the party will not wish its members to get engaged in at this time. It is too early and its time wastage, these young people should get more engaged in economically viable issues that would help them. 

 

Kaggwa Njala: Do you find it concerning that some NRM leaders are engaged in these things?

Todwong: This is wishful thinking. It is not something that the party has taken seriously. It is good that the party is observing from the sides, we know how we do our things. We don’t support our candidates through unofficial ways, we do it officially and we do it with a big bang. Some of these are just individuals who are trying to push, but we are saying that they should cool down because we still have time. 

 

Kaggwa Njala: Do these initiatives show indiscipline in the party?

Todwong: They are not to say doing anything bad within the party constitution. They are only expressing their wishes, so we are only trying to guide them to say yes, those were your wishes and time will come when you will express these things openly. 

 

Kaggwa Njala: Does this speak about the confusion in NRM?

Todwong: There is nothing like confusion, some of these things, I would call it internal dynamics that happen in any organisation and it tells you that there is a lot of freedom and democratic rights within the organisation. People are free to express themselves. Even Hon. Sseggona can come and sign tomorrow that he wants to be an NRM supporter and contest within the party. Our doors are open at any level and you are free to express yourself. 

Sseggona: Todwong is speaking Museveni’s way, you have heard him saying that these are excited young people. But that’s how NRM does its things, when the talk started about term limits, President Museveni was at the extreme end, he said that these people are expressing their feelings, but for me, no. I am not interested, but we later knew that they were doing it for him.

Sseggona: When it came to age limit, again, they said the same. The excited young people then were Raphael Magezi, Anita Among, Anite and a host of others. We later knew that actually President Museveni was the one behind it in two aspects, when the military attacked parliament to ensure that it goes through, and when he summoned Rebecca Kadaga.

 

Kaggwa Njala: How is the Secretariat discussing the Muhoozi issue?

Todwong: That is another issue. I wouldn’t want to discuss something with a lot of speculation. Gen Muhoozi is not yet a member of the NRM. He has never openly said that he wants to be a president, in all the meetings that I have been seeing with his admirers, he has been very clear. He always talks about the youth issues, how he wants to work with young people. 

Kaggwa Njala: BUT the Muhoozi project is being promoted by senior members of the NRM?

Todwong: I am not aware of any of them, unless you know them. Those who are around him organizing these meetings are volunteers. They are not within the structures of the party, there is a team called Team Chairman. This team is not within any structure of the party. The party is watching all this. 

Muhoozi is a serving officer, at one time, if he wishes to join politics, he will retire from the military and join. 

 

Kaggwa Njala: How will you handle the contradictions within the NRM? On one hand there is the Muhoozi Project and on the other, the Museveni project is also taking shape, on the other hand there is a certain Mao who is talking about transition. 

Todwong: There is issue of confidentiality, these are issues between the NRM and DP, I was not permitted to go into details, but I should say that the DP under the leadership of Mao expressed interest in discussing that with the NRM. That opportunity has not yet been made available. It is a wishful thinking that the DP would wish to discuss with the NRM.