Africa-Press – Uganda. Mike Mukula, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, has warned that the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) is not a training ground for political novices, declaring his intention to defend his seat in the August internal party elections.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala, Mukula took aim at what he termed “political amateurs” seeking to catapult themselves into the ruling party’s top leadership without the requisite experience or credentials.
“Some of those people you see have no history of leadership. They have not even been chairpersons of LC1 or district councillors. They simply want to climb the tree from the top—that’s not possible. CEC is not a prototype for testing,” Mukula said.
A veteran politician and former health minister, Mukula positioned himself as the most qualified and battle-tested candidate to continue representing Eastern Uganda on the NRM’s highest decision-making organ.
He cited decades of service and notable moments in Uganda’s history as evidence of his credentials.
Among them was his mobilisation of the Arrow Boys militia to repel the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from the Teso sub-region and his humanitarian involvement following the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
“These are not stories. These are facts that define leadership through sacrifice and action,” he stated.
Mukula also sounded a warning about what he described as foreign-backed infiltration into the NRM, suggesting that some contenders in the upcoming elections were being propped up by external actors with disruptive agendas.
“Africa suffered over 400 years of slavery because of agents of imperialism who worked with colonialists,” he said. “We cannot allow history to repeat itself. The NRM must be protected from infiltration.”
He further highlighted his strategic contributions during the 2021 general elections, noting that under COVID-19 restrictions, he used his private helicopter to traverse the eastern region and campaign for President Museveni.
According to Mukula, this effort helped the party counter the rising wave of support for opposition parties, especially the National Unity Platform (NUP).
“Using my chopper, I traversed the region and ensured that President Museveni’s message reached the people,” Mukula said. “That’s how NRM defeated the NUP wave. In Eastern Uganda, we delivered a landslide.”
He backed his statement with statistics, stating that the NRM secured 97 parliamentary seats in the region compared to NUP’s two, FDC’s 11, and JEEMA’s one.
He also noted that 26 independents allied to the NRM further affirmed the party’s dominance in the region.
In a metaphor that drew comparisons to sports legends, Mukula likened himself to football star Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that experience should not be benched.
“President Museveni needs to be surrounded by experienced and tested leaders,” he said. “I’m like Ronaldo—I score whenever I’m on the field. No team substitutes its best player.”
Mukula vowed to campaign vigorously across the country to secure delegate support, stating that the upcoming CEC race is about “track record, loyalty, and vision” rather than guesswork or populism.
His remarks have stirred debate within party ranks as jockeying for CEC seats intensifies.
With delegates expected to vote in August, Mukula has made it clear he will not go down without a fight—framing his candidacy as a continuation of tested leadership and a safeguard against internal disarray.
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