National Resistance Movement (NRM) Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja has urged party members to put aside internal conflicts and unite ahead of the forthcoming Local Council I (LC I) chairperson and village women's committee elections.
Speaking during a meeting with NRM leaders from the Greater Masaka sub-region on Sunday, Namayanja said the ruling party's biggest challenge was not the political opposition but divisions among its own members.
"The opposition is not the biggest problem facing the NRM. Our greatest challenge is ourselves because we undermine and fight one another. What made us lose in the 2021 elections was our own actions," she said.
"Many people failed to accept the outcome of the primaries, yet voters regard both NRM flag bearers and independents as members of the same party. When you combine the votes of our flag bearers and independents, they often exceed those of the opposition in areas where we lost," Namayanja added.
She said her visit to Masaka marked the start of a mobilisation campaign aimed at strengthening the party's grassroots structures and securing victory in the upcoming village elections.
According to Namayanja, the meetings are intended to identify challenges affecting the party at the grassroots and develop solutions before polling day.
During the meeting, several party leaders complained about the alleged irregular distribution of NRM flags, claiming that some candidates who had legitimately won party primaries had their endorsements withdrawn and reassigned to other individuals.
They also expressed dissatisfaction with the allocation of parliamentary committee positions, arguing that the Greater Masaka sub-region had been unfairly sidelined despite electing a significant number of NRM Members of Parliament.
Responding to the concerns, Namayanja warned party officials against arbitrarily withdrawing party flags from candidates who had been duly elected and officially endorsed.
"No one has the authority to take away an NRM flag from a candidate who was fairly elected and officially endorsed by the party," she said.
She also cautioned members against abandoning official party candidates in favour of independents or candidates from other political parties, saying such actions weaken the NRM's electoral prospects.
"We must stop our internal wrangles and focus on winning these elections for the party. Unity is what will guarantee NRM victory at the grassroots," Namayanja said.
She urged party supporters to resolve their differences peacefully and work together to ensure the NRM secures victory in the forthcoming LC I chairperson and village women's committee elections.
