KAMPALA, Uganda — Mercy Kanyesigye, the newly elected female youth member of Parliament, has warned that political commercialization within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) threatens young politicians’ confidence and disenfranchises poor youth unable to compete financially.
Kanyesigye’s concerns follow her hard-fought victory in the Hoima youth elections on Feb. 6, where she, running as an independent, secured 216 votes, narrowly defeating the NRM’s Diana Ampaire Kampe, who garnered 198 votes. Julia Muhumuza, also an independent, received 24 votes, while NUP’s Edith Nammande Nakayizzi placed last. Ampaire contested the results, petitioning for a recount that was later halted after reports of ballot box tampering.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala on Friday, Kanyesigye described the election as “not easy,” citing intimidation, threats, voter bribery, and other manipulations by opponents. “This wasn’t a bed of roses, an election marred by intimidation, threats, voter bribery, and all sorts of machinations by opponents,” Kanyesigye said. “We snatched the win from the jaws of defeat. Running as an independent was tough. NRM top leaders tried swaying young voters with empty promises and threats for backing someone who was not the flag bearer.”
She pointed to the commercialization of youth elections as a growing problem, undermining nationalism and sidelining capable candidates who cannot match the financial backing of party favorites. “Truth be told, NRM spent heavily backing my opponent and did everything to see them declared the winner, but thank God, the youth saw beyond money—they saw potential and comradeship in me,” Kanyesigye stated.
Kanyesigye is not alone in raising concerns. During the recently concluded CEC elections, several NRM leaders, including Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, warned that political commercialization was a trend that required urgent attention to protect the party’s integrity.
Despite these challenges, Kanyesigye pledged to focus on youth empowerment and employment, promising to set up a dedicated desk to tackle young people’s concerns.“I won’t make empty promises, but I’m confident our efforts will pay off in shaping the youth agenda,” she said.
