The official opening of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) district party office in Bugiri was overshadowed by internal divisions, as several key leaders shunned the event.
Despite the presence of NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong, notable figures such as Bugiri District Chairperson Stephen Mutumba, Woman MP Agnes Taaka, and NRM District Chairperson David Mulumba were absent.
Their no-show angered party members, who accused former NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba of orchestrating a parallel event to undermine the function.
“Lumumba and other district leaders bought two bulls and four bags of rice to organize a separate gathering aimed at disrupting this function,” alleged one NRM member.
The growing rift within the party has raised concerns about NRM’s performance in the 2026 elections. The Chairperson of the Busoga Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Iddi Isabirye, urged the national leadership to intervene before the situation worsens.
“When you are not working together, you can’t achieve progress. We call upon the national leadership to strengthen unity at all levels. What we have seen in Bugiri today is alarming, and something must be done,” Isabirye said.
Beyond politics, local authorities have expressed security concerns, warning that the divisions could affect service delivery.
“When leaders are divided, the population suffers. My appeal is for them to work as a team to improve service delivery in our district,” said Bugiri Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Paul Kalikwani.
In response, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong reassured party members that steps were being taken to restore unity.
“As NRM, we do not promote division. We preach unity because when we are united, we are stronger. I will personally engage my sister Justine Kasule Lumumba. If that fails, I will involve our national leadership to resolve the matter,” Todwong stated.
Efforts to reach Lumumba for comment were unsuccessful, as her phone was off and she was not in the district.
With tensions simmering within Bugiri’s NRM leadership, attention now turns to the national party leadership to see how they will address the situation before it escalates further.