The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has warned former foreign minister Sam Kuteesa and other senior party figures against violating party rules by supporting independent candidates instead of the officially endorsed NRM flag bearers.
Party spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo said backing independents constitutes “prohibited conduct” under the NRM constitution.
“It is not allowed and it is not permitted. Anybody who does so offends the NRM constitution,” he told reporters.
Growing internal tensions in Sembabule District have raised concerns about potential political disruption ahead of the 2026 elections.
Several NRM flag bearers have accused senior mobilisation officials of quietly supporting independents, undermining their campaigns.
Dombo clarified that while the party discourages support for independents, it does not intend to attack them.
“We are going to support NRM flagbearers, but we are not going to attack independents because they are Ugandans allowed by the constitution to contest,” he said.
“Internally, they can reflect and do soul-searching and stand down for the flag bearers.”
Political observers warn that unresolved tensions between independents and official NRM candidates could spark unrest in Sembabule.
Former Rukungiri woman MP aspirant Anna Tumuramye and analyst Elias Tumwebaze noted that while some independents have stepped aside, many remain aggrieved over what they allege were unfair primary outcomes.
Despite the friction, Dombo stressed that the party’s priority remains securing victory for President Yoweri Museveni in 2026.
“To win with more than 50 percent of the vote, we must mobilise all voters – whether NRM, independent, or opposition. The independents may be disruptive, but they are not enemies,” he said.