The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has issued a stern warning to party members in Mukono District who are defying party directives by contesting as independents.
Speaking at a reconciliation meeting with local leaders, NRM Deputy National Chairman Alhaji Moses Kigongo emphasized that the party will not plead with or tolerate members who disregard official procedures.
“We shall not beg anyone who has decided to run as an independent,” Kigongo said. “Those who want to leave the party should go, because NRM is bigger than individuals.”
The meeting followed tensions in Mukono after several NRM members rejected primary results and chose to run independently.
Among them are Peace Kusasira, who contested the Woman MP seat against the party’s endorsed Margaret Nakavubu, and Andrew Ssenyonga Ruzindana, who defied withdrawal instructions in favor of Daisy Sonko for the Mukono Municipality seat. More than 20 other candidates are running independently for various local positions.
NRM 2nd National Vice-Chairperson for Central Region, Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, warned party leaders against secretly supporting independents, describing such actions as undermining party unity.
He also cautioned youth supporters in Buganda against forming “pressure groups” to extort money from the party or candidates.
NRM National Mobilizer Dr. Rosemary Seninde urged leaders to avoid internal conflicts that hurt electoral performance, recalling how divisions in 2021 limited President Museveni to only about 20,000 votes in Mukono.
She called for strategic mobilization using government programs like Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM) to regain voter confidence.
Local NRM Chairman Haruna Semakula highlighted the government’s investments in Mukono, including industrial parks in Namanve and Mbalala, stressing that these developments should be leveraged to consolidate NRM support.
Kigongo concluded by reaffirming that any member defying party rules by contesting independently will face disciplinary action. “The rules are clear,” he said. “If you defy the party, you cannot expect forgiveness or favors.”
