By Capt Mike Mukula
Africa-Press – Uganda. As a committed and longstanding member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), and as the current Vice Chairman for Eastern Uganda on the Central Executive Committee (CEC), I welcome democratic engagement and the spirited interest in the internal processes of our great Movement.
The desire by Hon. Jacob Oboth Oboth and Dr. Musa Lumumba to contest for this seat is a healthy expression of democracy and demonstrates the continued vibrancy within the NRM.
However, to engage in this democratic space responsibly and constructively, it is imperative to understand the institutional role, limits, and function of the Central Executive Committee and, by extension, the position of the Regional Vice Chairman.
Understanding the CEC and the Role of Vice Chairperson (Eastern Region)
The CEC, as per the NRM Constitution, is the highest decision-making body of the party, responsible for policy guidance, strategic political direction, ideological consistency, and supervision of party structures. It is not a legislative arm, nor is it an implementing agency with a development budget. It is an ideological and strategic engine, not a resource-disbursing institution.
The Vice Chairperson of a region is primarily a voluntary political mobiliser tasked with maintaining the cohesion of party structures, ensuring party discipline, interpreting the resolutions of the National Conference and NEC to grassroots structures, and aligning the region’s political direction with the national policy framework of the NRM.
This office does not come with a government salary; it is not endowed with a development fund, nor does it manage or execute government programmes. There is no official vehicle, office, telephone, or residence provided to the Vice Chairperson by the party. The role is voluntary, ideological, and strategic in nature—meant to offer direction and ideological consistency, not implement government programmes or deliver infrastructure.
On Development, Service Delivery, and Government Functions
Much of the criticism raised by some aspirants centres on issues such as youth unemployment, poverty alleviation, education, and healthcare infrastructure. While these are indeed pressing and legitimate concerns for our region and country, it must be clearly stated that these fall within the core responsibilities of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as mandated by the Constitution of Uganda.
The National Vice Chairman does not allocate budgets, cannot appropriate resources, and is not an accounting officer. Fighting poverty, building hospitals, improving roads, creating jobs, and enhancing public service delivery are functions embedded within the national development plans and government budgets.
These are championed through sectoral ministries like Health, Education, Works and Transport, and Local Government, in conjunction with Parliament and local governments.
Therefore, it is a misguided and misleading premise to claim that the absence of tarmac roads in a particular village or the lack of employment among youth is the fault of a regional Vice Chairman of the NRM party. This conflation not only misrepresents the function of the office but also risks politicising service delivery in an unproductive way.
On Voluntarism and Commitment
Over the last 16 years, I have served the NRM selflessly, offering my time, resources, networks, and experience to promote and defend the values of the Movement. I have conducted mobilisation tours, built consensus around ideological education, supported district-level party engagements, and mediated internal conflicts to ensure party unity and strength in Eastern Uganda.
This service has not been remunerated. I have done so out of commitment to the NRM, its ideology, and the vision of His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. I have not used my position for personal gain, nor have I leveraged it to create political dynasties or enrich myself.
When I assumed this position, I inherited no budget, no car, and no public facility. I continue to use my own resources to travel across the region, to consult with party members, and to represent Eastern Uganda’s strategic interests on the national stage of the NRM.
I have supported youth leaders, women’s councils, veterans, religious institutions, and civil society players—not because of entitlement, but out of conviction.
Demonstrated Results in the 2021 General Elections
My leadership is not just theoretical—it is backed by tangible results. In the 2021 general elections, I led an unprecedented, high-impact mobilisation campaign across the Eastern Region.
I personally spearheaded the strategy that delivered 97 NRM Members of Parliament, 25 NRM-leaning independents, and secured victory for numerous chairpersons, councillors, and other local leaders across the region.
This was achieved under extraordinary circumstances. His Excellency the President, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, did not physically campaign. The responsibility to mobilise the region, engage voters, and secure the party’s stronghold in the East fell heavily on regional leaders.
I took the bold initiative of using a helicopter campaign strategy, holding five to six rallies per day, and travelling across the region under immense pressure and personal risk.
The electoral outcomes were emphatic: apart from the 97 NRM MPs and 25 independents, only two MPs were elected on the NUP ticket, one JEMA MP from Bugiri, 11 FDC MPs, and two FDC-leaning independents. This result is a testament to the strength of our mobilisation, the clarity of our message, and the trust I have built over years of consistent engagement with the people.
This election was not won through slogans or speeches, but through hard work, field presence, and commitment to the Movement’s ideals, even in the face of logistical limitations and public health challenges.
Clarifying Political Expectations and Institutional Literacy
There is a growing need for those aspiring for national leadership—especially within the party—to understand institutional mandates and the architecture of governance. Uganda operates within a multi-layered governance framework, where roles are delineated between the party, the executive, the legislature, and the civil service.
Reducing the role of the Regional Vice Chairman to the metrics of infrastructural development or service delivery exposes a lack of understanding of the NRM Constitution, the structure of government, and the responsibilities of public office.
Leaders must not exploit the frustrations of vulnerable communities to ascend to party positions by promising that which is outside their scope. It is both unethical and counterproductive. The NRM must remain a disciplined movement of enlightened cadres, not a platform for populist rhetoric.
On the Track Record and Ideological Commitment
I have remained ideologically consistent, defending the core tenets of the Movement—pan-Africanism, patriotism, socio-economic transformation, and democracy.
I have stood by the leadership through the most turbulent political moments—from the multiparty transition to the Walk to Work insurrections, from economic shocks to ideological divisions.
I have also invested in knowledge-based leadership, continuously learning, engaging with intellectuals, mobilising the diaspora, and fostering international goodwill for Uganda and the NRM.
My leadership record is one of constructive engagement, political maturity, and strategic restraint. I do not believe in the politics of insult, character assassination, or regional antagonism. I believe in unity, and that the Eastern Region must remain a pillar of strength for the NRM, not a theatre of internal battles.
A Call for Responsible Leadership
To Hon. Oboth Oboth and Dr. Musa Lumumba—I commend your interest in party leadership. However, I urge you to ground your campaigns in truth, ideology, and institutional respect. Misleading the population about the function of the CEC or distorting the role of the Vice Chairman to score political points does not serve the Movement.
You are both young, vibrant, and educated individuals with roles to play in the future of this country. But leadership requires depth, humility, historical consciousness, and respect for the structures you seek to serve.
Let us focus on building the Movement, not on eroding it from within through misinformation and simplistic campaign narratives.
Conclusion
The National Resistance Movement has stood the test of time because it is grounded in structure, discipline, and ideology. As we prepare for the 2026 elections and articulate our manifesto for 2026–2031, we must offer the country competent, ideologically sound, and strategically informed leadership.
The Eastern Region remains at the heart of Uganda’s historical, economic, and political significance. Its leadership must reflect not only commitment, but also experience, clarity of thought, and the ability to navigate complex political terrain without derailing the integrity of the Movement.
Let us debate with respect. Let us compete with ideas. But above all, let us protect the sanctity and unity of the NRM.
I remain committed to serving the NRM and the people of Eastern Uganda with dignity, wisdom, and unwavering patriotism.
For God and My Country.
Capt. Mike Mukula is the National Vice Chairman – NRM Eastern Uganda, former Member of Parliament, Pilot, and Entrepreneur
Source: Nilepost News
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