Tensions within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have intensified in Kisoro District following a heated meeting between official party flag bearers and independent candidates who still claim allegiance to the NRM.
The confrontation, held at the Kisoro District Council Hall, revolved around the contentious use of party symbols and colours as campaigns gain momentum ahead of the 2026 General Election.
During the meeting, the district NRM chairperson, Philemon Mateke, directed the district party electoral commission chairperson, Mujambere Thadeo, to read an official letter from the NRM Secretary General. The letter reaffirmed the party’s strict stance against independent-leaning candidates using NRM symbols, colours, or slogans, warning that such actions violate the party constitution.
Mateke stressed that while the Ugandan Constitution allows individuals to contest as independents, NRM’s internal regulations expressly prohibit members who lose in party primaries from using official party identifiers during campaigns.
“If elected, it would be difficult for such candidates to cooperate with the government,” Mateke cautioned, urging party loyalists to respect the outcomes of the NRM primaries and rally behind official flag bearers.
However, the meeting quickly degenerated into a heated verbal exchange after some members accused Mateke of hypocrisy, citing his alleged support for independent candidate Grace Akifeza during the 2024 Kisoro District Woman MP by-election.
Independent candidates, including Bufumbira North MP John Nizeyimana Kamara and former NRM Vice Chairperson Ramadhan Ndikuyeze, openly defied the directive, insisting they remain loyal members of the ruling party despite running as independents.
“No one can stop me from using party colours or symbols. I am more loyal to the NRM than some of my critics. If I had known this was coming, I would have worn full yellow,” Kamara declared.
Ndikuyeze, who is seeking the Kisoro Municipality mayoral seat after losing in the party primaries, blamed the rise of independent candidates on what he termed “weaknesses and favouritism” within the NRM leadership.
“Stopping independents from wearing yellow will only erode the party’s support in Kisoro. Why didn’t you stop wearing yellow when you supported an independent in last year’s by-election?” he asked.
Sam Bitangaro, contesting for the Bufumbira South MP seat as an independent, also dismissed the directive, arguing that the party cannot claim ownership of a colour.
“The NRM can stop me from using the bus symbol, but it cannot ban me from wearing yellow. The colour has no patent right, and the Constitution allows me to contest as an independent,” Bitangaro asserted.
Other aspirants, including Leo Mfitimana, who is eyeing the Kisoro Municipality MP seat, cited alleged irregularities in the NRM primaries, including reports of minors being allowed to vote.
“I am still an NRM diehard, but the primaries were compromised. That’s why I’m running as an independent,” Mfitimana explained.
In response, Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, the current Kisoro District Woman MP (NRM), acknowledged the challenges faced by independents. She revealed that she too contested as an independent in 2024 before reconciling with the party.
“Though independents are free to contest, they should avoid using party symbols and colours,” Akifeza advised.
Sam Byibesho, the official NRM flag bearer for Kisoro Municipality MP, appealed to all NRM members to respect internal party processes and unite behind the official candidates to strengthen party cohesion.
Despite Dr. Mateke’s efforts to calm tensions, the meeting ended abruptly without a clear resolution. Independent candidates maintained their defiance, vowing to continue using the yellow colour in their campaigns.
The standoff in Kisoro underscores widening divisions within the NRM, as similar disputes have been reported across other districts. Political analysts warn that the surge in independent candidates—many of them incumbent MPs and ministers—reflects deeper dissatisfaction with the party’s internal electoral processes.
As the 2026 General Election approaches, the NRM faces a critical test of unity, with Kisoro emerging as a flashpoint in the growing rift between party loyalty and independent political ambition.
