KAMPALA – The National Resistance Movement (NRM) will kick off a series of political activities in its internal political calendar with a meeting of its Central Executive Committee (CEC), ahead of the National Delegates Conference scheduled to follow.
The CEC, the party’s highest decision-making organ, and members of the National Delegates Conference will convene at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to elect leaders for various apex positions within the party.
Speaking during a press conference in which he issued polling guidelines for the election of executives of the NRM Central Executive Committee, executive committees of special organs at the national level, and Special Interest Group (SIG) flag bearers, Dr. Tanga Odoi, Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, warned candidates and delegates against engaging in any form of electoral malpractice. He said acts such as hiding delegates, mobilising ineligible voters, bribery, and disrupting the polling process would not be tolerated.
“We have received credible reports of candidates hiding delegates in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and some islands in Uganda. Once the commission gets concrete evidence, including photographs or witness accounts, we shall disqualify such candidates even at the last hour,” said Dr. Tanga Odoi.
Dr. Tanga Odoi added that the commission was also monitoring efforts by certain individuals to mobilise youth to disrupt the elections.
“We know who you are, where you have hidden your goons, and what your plans are. Do not use other people’s children to fight your political wars while your own are in comfort,” he added.
Dr. Tanga urged all candidates to follow lawful channels to address any disputes.
The National Delegates Conference will be officially opened by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who also serves as the party’s chairman. Museveni, having expressed interest in continuing in the role, was unopposed at all levels of the nomination process. He was endorsed and confirmed by the National Executive Committee as both party chairman and presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general elections. Dr. Tanga Odoi stated that the Electoral Commission will present these results to the National Delegates Conference for final endorsement in the coming four-day-long Conference.
Following the official opening, the conference will enter an elective phase to handle the election of leaders for the party’s various SIG leagues. These include the Women’s League, Youth League, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) League, Elders’ League, Veterans’ League, Workers’ League, Entrepreneurs’ League, and the Historical Leaders Forum. Each league will elect a full executive committee, comprising a chairperson, multiple regional vice chairpersons, a general secretary, a secretary for publicity, and a secretary for finance.
Dr. Odoi explained that elections for all leagues will be conducted by lining up behind the preferred candidates, except in the case of Workers’ MPs, who will be elected by secret ballot.
“This is due to the nature of their representation, where one voter may be entitled to more than one vote,” he said.
The EC chair emphasised that the entire process is a college-based election, meaning only duly accredited delegates will be eligible to vote. He urged all delegates to go for accreditation at the ICT campus in Nakawa and warned against seeking accreditation from unauthorised locations.
“No one should attempt to get accredited from party offices or other centres. Only ICT Nakawa is gazetted for this process,” he said.
Dr. Odoi also reiterated the Commission’s zero-tolerance policy towards bribery and vote manipulation. “Anyone mobilising ineligible persons to vote illegally risks facing criminal charges. We already have the verified list of delegates. If you tamper with it or try to insert names, you’ll spend a night in Luzira,” he warned.
According to the guidelines, each candidate is allowed to nominate no more than two polling agents, and those agents must come from within the electoral college.
“Do not bring agents from outside your league. If you are a youth candidate, your agents must also be youth delegates,” Dr. Odoi said.
The Electoral Commission has set up separate tents for each league at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, with each tent capable of accommodating up to 3,500 delegates. Voting will take place openly, with microphones used to call names, and results will be announced immediately after each election concludes.
“There will be no delays in announcing winners. As soon as one league finishes voting, results will be declared there and then,” said Dr. Odoi.
After the league elections, the Electoral Commission has indicated that the conference will proceed to elect NRM flag bearers for parliamentary seats reserved for special interest groups. These include youth MPs from each of the four regions, Eastern, Northern, Western, and Central, as well as one national female youth MP. The same structure will apply to Workers’ MPs, MPs representing PWDs, and MPs representing older persons, with each group electing five representatives, namely, four regional and one national female.
Dr. Odoi explained that the sequencing of elections, starting with the leagues and then moving to the parliamentary flag bearer, was intentional.
“Some delegates in the SIG parliamentary races are also candidates or voters in the leagues. That’s why we begin with league elections to avoid conflict,” he said.
Addressing specific cases, Dr. Odoi responded to questions about Fiona Naku, a disqualified youth candidate. He clarified that the Electoral Commission had nominated her in accordance with guidelines, but her eligibility was later challenged based on age.
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) wrote to the NRM Secretariat and the head of its Legal Services, and the High Court. In a decision by Civil Division Judge Collin Acellam later dismissed an application in which she was seeking a temporary injunction to stop the NRM EC from barring her from the race.
Asked if there are ways of resolving disputes that will arise from the elections, Dr. Odoi revealed the establishment of a Political Bishops Panel, which he said is an internal committee of respected senior party leaders mandated to resolve complaints arising from the elections.
Dr. Odoi expressed full confidence in the Electoral Commission’s preparedness and readiness to deliver a transparent and credible election.
Dr. Tanga Odoi addressed the media with hundreds of NRM District Chairpersons who are the Returning Officers/polling officials in the coming Conference elections. He was also accompanied by several Commissioners in the Party, including James Tweheyo and Alisemera Jane Babiha.
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