The Head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Hajjat Hadijja Namyalo, has blamed the confusion that marred the party’s recent primary elections on a disorganised and outdated voter register.
Speaking from the ONC headquarters in Kyambogo during a meeting with ONC-supported candidates who won at village, parish, and sub-county levels, Namyalo said the register’s poor state played a central role in the widespread irregularities witnessed across the country.
“The failure to update and properly organise the voter register was a major contributor to the disorder during the primaries,” she said.
“The lack of coordination and transparency affected the credibility of the exercise.”
Despite the setbacks, Namyalo commended the resilience of ONC-backed candidates who managed to overcome the challenges and emerge victorious.
She urged them to build on their success by intensifying grassroots mobilisation in support of the NRM’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“The real task begins now,” she told the winners. “Our mission is to strengthen our structures, unify our base, and deliver victory at the national level.”
Namyalo also warned the candidates not to grow complacent after their victories, encouraging them to remain active, united, and focused on consolidating support for the ruling party.
She criticised any tendencies toward infighting, saying they risked weakening the NRM’s standing in key regions.
In a pointed rebuke, Namyalo accused Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) of meddling in the party’s internal processes, saying they had acted beyond their constitutional mandate.
“These officials acted on self-driven directives that are not part of the NRM’s legal framework. Their actions undermined the integrity of the process,” she said.
“This kind of interference, if not checked, will continue to damage party credibility.”
Several ONC-supported candidates echoed Namyalo’s concerns, calling on the party to address systemic weaknesses and internal disunity.
They stressed the importance of a transparent electoral process and fair competition within the party’s ranks.
With the next round of primary elections scheduled for Friday, the ONC expressed confidence in its preparedness and projected a 50% success rate for its endorsed candidates.
Namyalo said that as preparations ramp up, discipline and teamwork within the party will be critical in sustaining its dominance ahead of 2026.
“Let us remember who we are working for,” she said. “Our candidate needs a strong, united team—and that work starts now, from the grassroots to the national level.”