The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has launched a nationwide mobilisation drive centred on strengthening internal unity and consolidating grassroots support ahead of the upcoming Village Women Council and Local Council I (LC I) elections.
Over the weekend, senior NRM Secretariat officials fanned out across the country, holding sub-regional entry meetings in Acholi, West Nile, Lango, Bugisu, Karamoja, Bukedi, Greater Masaka, Greater Mubende, Greater Luwero, Greater Mukono, Ankole, Rwenzori, Kigezi, and Bunyoro.
The meetings brought together Members of Parliament, district party chairpersons, LC V leaders, and other party officials to align mobilisation strategies and rally support for NRM-endorsed candidates.
A key message across all engagements was the importance of party unity, with leaders emphasising that the strength of the NRM begins at the village level and that success in the grassroots elections depends on cohesion among members.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Acholi sub-regional meeting in Gulu City, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong described LC I chairpersons as the foundation of the party’s leadership structure and a critical link between communities and national leadership.
“Every village consists of households, and within the NRM, LC I chairpersons serve as household leaders for the party. They form the bridge between the population and leadership, reaching communities even where the President cannot personally go,” Todwong said.
He said strong village structures are essential for maintaining an effective party organisation capable of serving communities and expanding the NRM’s influence.
Todwong added that the party has already identified LC I flag bearers in nearly all villages, with the current focus being on ensuring their victory in the forthcoming elections.
However, he raised concern over reports that some party members are allegedly supporting independent candidates against officially selected NRM flag bearers.
“We have intelligence concerning this political disease where established leaders sabotage the party by backing independents against our chosen candidates,” Todwong warned, urging leaders to avoid actions that weaken party unity.
He also highlighted reforms within the NRM Secretariat, saying the party had overcome financial challenges that affected its operations in previous election cycles.
Todwong revealed that all outstanding debts from previous elections had been cleared, paving the way for the construction of permanent district party offices across the country.
He said Shs11 billion collected through expression of interest fees had been allocated for the construction of district offices, while plans were underway to establish regional centres and a new national headquarters as part of efforts to decentralise party operations.
In Greater Masaka, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja echoed the call for unity, warning that internal divisions remain one of the biggest challenges facing the party.
Namayanja said the NRM’s greatest threat is not opposition parties but internal conflicts that have previously affected the party’s electoral performance.
She cited cases where members who lost in party primaries later contested as independents, splitting votes among candidates who were originally from the same political organisation.
“The opposition is not the NRM’s greatest threat. Our biggest problem is ourselves because we undermine and fight each other,” Namayanja said.
She urged party leaders to support officially selected candidates and avoid actions that could divide members ahead of the grassroots elections.
In Bukedi, NRM National Treasurer Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo called for stronger grassroots mobilisation, describing villages as the foundation of the party’s organisational strength.
She said while national elections attract significant attention, Local Council elections are equally important because they influence service delivery and the implementation of government programmes.
“The village is where our strength starts, and we must stay connected with our people through vibrant grassroots structures,” Nekesa said.
She encouraged leaders to use village meetings and barazas to mobilise support for NRM candidates before polling day.
In Bugisu, the party concluded its sub-regional meeting in Mbale City with renewed calls for unity while paying tribute to veteran statesman General Moses Ali, whose death was described as a national loss.
NRM Director of Communication Emmanuel Lumala Dombo said the meetings were aimed at preparing Members of Parliament, district leaders, LC V chairpersons, and other officials for the grassroots elections while delivering President Yoweri Museveni’s message on unity, mobilisation, and service to the people.
Dombo said President Museveni thanked NRM supporters for their continued confidence in the party and urged leaders to remain focused on wealth creation, poverty eradication, peace, and national unity as Uganda works towards becoming a $500 billion economy.
He said the President emphasised that peace and stability remain the foundation of development and encouraged leaders to support government programmes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga.
Dombo also urged eligible voters to participate in the Village Women Council elections on July 23 and the LC I Chairperson elections on July 28, saying the polls are important in strengthening grassroots leadership structures.
In West Nile, NRM Director of Finance Hajjati Medina Naham thanked residents for their support during the recent general elections and urged them to extend the same commitment to the LC I elections.
In Kampala Metropolitan, Director of Mobilisation and Cadre Development Rosemary Seninde led party mobilisation activities, reinforcing the message of unity and grassroots organisation.
Other party officials, including NRM National Women’s League chairperson Aldrine Kobusingye, Deputy National Treasurer Jacqueline Kyatuhaire, Director for External Affairs Awich Pollar, Director of Youth and Institutions Okwir Rwabwoni, NRM Electoral Commission Deputy Chairperson Jachan Omach, and commissioners Driwaru Zaituni, James Williams Kinobe, Juliana Modesta, and Tweheyo James, also urged members to support official candidates and avoid funding independents.
In Karamoja, NRM leaders called on members to remain united behind President Museveni and the party leadership, saying discipline, teamwork, and grassroots mobilisation are key to maintaining the party’s political strength.
In Bunyoro, President Museveni, through NRM Director for Legal Affairs Counsel Enoch Barata, encouraged Ugandans to participate in the village and women council elections.
The President said village leaders play a critical role in fighting poverty, monitoring service delivery, supporting wealth creation initiatives, and combating corruption at community level.
The nationwide mobilisation campaign comes ahead of the Village Women Council elections scheduled for July 23 and the LC I Chairperson elections set for July 28.
NRM leaders say the drive is intended to strengthen grassroots structures, promote internal cohesion, and increase voter participation, with the party insisting that its political strength begins at the village level.
