The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has convened an expanded district conference in Kikuube aimed at consolidating party unity and harmonising its position ahead of the LC5 chairperson by-election scheduled for June 10, 2026.
The by-election follows the death of former district chairperson Peter Banura Araali, who had been serving as the NRM flag bearer.
Addressing journalists before the conference on Tuesday, the party’s Director for Mobilisation, Rosemary Sseninde, said the meeting brought together more than 500 leaders from across the district. These included village chairpersons, district executives, councillors-elect, LCIII chairpersons, opinion leaders, and security representatives.
Sseninde said the engagement was intended to strengthen internal party structures and foster unity ahead of what she described as a highly competitive by-election.
“A by-election is not like a general election. It comes with unique challenges, including heightened competition from opposition groups. As a party, we must be organised and fully prepared,” she said.
She emphasised that the NRM Secretariat was not in Kikuube to impose a candidate, but to facilitate dialogue and consensus-building among party members.
“We have not come to decide who the flag bearer will be. Our purpose is to promote unity and harmonisation, and to give aspiring candidates a platform to be heard,” she said.
Sseninde added that views collected from the conference would guide the party’s Electoral Commission in determining whether to organise internal primaries or adopt a consensus candidate.
She cited a similar process in Soroti District, where multiple aspirants stepped down in favour of a single consensus candidate following party consultations.
“If consensus is not reached, the Electoral Commission will proceed to organise primaries and provide a roadmap for the process,” she said.
The conference was attended by senior party officials, including the chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, Tanga Odoi, State Minister for Public Service Grace Mary Mugasa, and the party’s Director for Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Lumala Dombo.
Also present were NRM Electoral Commission commissioners Jane Alisemera Babiiha and Driwaru Zaitun, alongside area Members of Parliament and other district leaders.