Lwemiyaga County Member of Parliament, Theodore Ssekikubo, has raised alarm over what he described as the unprecedented monetization of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) internal elections.
Speaking during NBS Barometeron Tuesday, Ssekikubo said vast sums of money had been poured into the NRM electoral processes, including the tribunal which was set u to handle such cases.
He noted that unlike in previous years, financial influence had taken center stage, with ‘dirty money’ allegedly used to bribe voters undermining fair competition within the party.
“Unprecedented amounts of money have been used in the NRM internal elections, as well as in the tribunal. Unlike in the past, it is now almost impossible to win without money,” he said.
Ssekikubo further revealed that some of the party’s special interest group elections were postponed due to irregularities, including reports that certain votes were not counted.
“Some voters were hidden. They were not even in the country; they had been flown out to Kenya,” Ssekikubo argued.
He pointed to the Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections as a prime example of the increasing commercialisation of the party’s internal democratic processes, warning that such practices risk eroding the credibility of the NRM and its structures.
Ssekikubo’s remarks come as members of the ruling party get ready to vote, with his voice adding to ongoing debates surrounding the transparency, inclusivity, and credibility of the party’s internal elections.
