Africa-Press – Uganda. Aspirants vying for National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer positions are calling on the party’s Electoral Commission to decentralize its nomination process, citing safety concerns, financial strain, and regional exclusion under the current centralized system.
Leading the appeal is Ritah Namuwenge, former national Emyooga coordinator and now aspirant for Mbale District Woman MP seat, who says the process—currently centralized at the NRM secretariat in Kyadondo, Kampala—is unfair to candidates from distant districts.
“The NRM is a mighty party, and it brought power closer to the people. Nominations should be conducted at subregional level—for instance, in the Bugisu subregion—so that our supporters can witness the process instead of watching us on TV,” she said.
“I had a lot of anxiety. My supporters waited from 8am till midnight just to receive me back home,” Namuwenge added.
The demand for change has gained momentum following the recent death of Kamuli District Chairperson Charles Maxwell Mugude and his team in a road accident while reportedly running back to Kamuli from Mukono to pick his team for the nominations—a tragedy that has reignited debate over the risks of long-distance travel during the exercise.
Speaking on a local radio station, Namisindwa County MP Jon Musila shared his frustrations with the current arrangement.
“I arrived in Kyadondo at 3pm amidst heavy traffic, only to be nominated at 11pm. Roads were closed. There was no order. It was chaotic—and costly,” he said.
The NRM Electoral Commission, under the leadership of Dr. Tanga Odoi, centralized the process in a bid to maintain “uniformity and control.”
But critics argue that with over 10,000 aspirants vying for party positions across the country, the system is unsustainable.
Party faithful from remote regions such as Karamoja, West Nile, and Sebei have also spoken out, describing the current setup as exclusionary and inefficient.
Many say the nominations could be handled more effectively at the district or constituency level, as was done in previous election cycles.
The NRM nomination process for the 2026 general elections officially began on June 2, 2025, with aspirants collecting and submitting expression of interest forms at the Kyadondo headquarters.
That phase ended on June 15, followed by the official nomination and verification exercise that kicked off on June 17.
The exercise marks the beginning of the NRM’s internal electoral roadmap toward selecting flag bearers ahead of the 2026 national elections.
However, growing calls for decentralization suggest the party may need to rethink its strategy if it is to avoid further logistical mishaps—and rebuild confidence among its grassroots aspirants.
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