Thousands of people have thronged Kololo National Ceremonial Grounds for the National Delegates Conference, which is expected to open later today. All roads leading to the grounds are sealed off as cadres of the ruling party, candidates, delegates, security personnel, and dignitaries head to the conference. Delegates will elect leaders of Special Interest Groups and later the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s top organ.
The groups include the Historical Leaders League, Veterans League, Entrepreneurs League, Workers League, Youth League, Elders League, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and the Women’s League. Each will elect a five-member committee comprising a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, General Secretary, Secretary for Finance, and Secretary for Publicity.
The elections will be by lining up, except for the Workers League, which will vote by secret ballot. Newly elected leaders will also take part in choosing party flag bearers for PWDs, Workers, Youth, and Elders at the parliamentary level. Kololo is filled with campaign posters, many layered on top of one another due to limited space. Some aspirants’ posters have been buried beneath new ones, while others are splashed across roads or even laid on the ground like carpets.
At the main gate, people queue up to verify their names on the accredited delegates’ list. NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi earlier revealed reports of fake delegates’ lists. Once verified, delegates are issued tags and proceed to a second security gate. Security has been heightened, with the Special Forces Command, UPDF, and Police’s Counter-Terrorism Unit in charge. Delegates’ tags are scanned with torch-like machines to confirm authenticity. Those with fake tags or missing names are denied entry.
Inside the grounds, mega tents branded for each league have been set up, serving as voting venues. District Party Registrars, acting as Returning Officers, are identifiable in white T-shirts, while all other participants are clad in yellow. General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the NRM Party Chairperson and unopposed candidate for the 2026 general elections, is expected to officially open the conference this afternoon.
Dr. Tanga Odoi, who is overseeing the elections, urged delegates to remain calm and promised a peaceful, transparent process. He also rallied District Party Registrars in dance to party songs played by disk jockeys, emphasizing unity and celebration ahead of the polls. Earlier, while addressing the media, Odoi warned against election malpractice, saying anyone caught could be disqualified at the last minute. //Cue in:
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