The Director of Communication for the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Emmanuel Lumala Dombo, has defended the decision by political leaders to temporarily withdraw from government duties ahead of the party’s village-level elections, framing it as a strategic move to consolidate grassroots power before the 2026 general elections.
Dombo dismissed claims of a full government shutdown, stressing that essential services remain functional.
“Doctors, engineers, and teachers—who are not partisan—are still at work,” he said. “Only politicians have returned to their villages to participate in party structures.”
Parliament did not convene this week, as Members of Parliament, along with President Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, were encouraged to verify their details in the party register within their home villages—a prerequisite for participation in the elections.
“This is fundamental,” Dombo told reporters. “If you are not in the register, you cannot participate in the general elections. What if the President is not in the register? What if Mama Janet, who is the NRM Chairperson in Ntungamo, wants to contest again and finds herself left out?”
He said the exercise was not only administrative but also symbolic.
“Leaders must lead by example. This is how we demonstrate our commitment to the democratic processes within our party.”
Uganda has about 72,000 villages, and each is expected to elect 30 NRM officials, resulting in over 2.1 million local party leaders.
According to Dombo, this structure is essential to the party’s continued dominance.
“Overall, the party will have close to 3 million leaders from village to national level. If all these vote NRM, it secures our win in 2026,” he said.
The elections, conducted by the controversial lining-up method, are a key element of NRM’s mass mobilisation drive. While the system has drawn criticism for exposing voter preferences and heightening political tensions, party officials argue it ensures transparency and rapid vote tallying at the grassroots.
Dombo’s comments come amid murmurs from civil society over the blending of state and party affairs, particularly when public resources appear to be stretched or redirected during political mobilisation seasons.
Still, NRM maintains that village elections are the foundation of its internal democracy and a model of participatory leadership.
“Participation at this level is not optional,” Dombo concluded. “It’s a renewal of our mandate and a demonstration that the NRM is rooted where the people are.”