Africa-Press – Uganda. The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has concluded the first round of its internal elections, which took place at the village level earlier this week, drawing thousands of party faithful seeking leadership positions.
According to long-time government spokesperson turned political contestant Ofwono Opondo, the elections marked a significant improvement compared to previous internal polls.
Speaking on NBS TV’s political talk show The Frontline, Ofwono declared that for the first time, the NRM had “nailed” the process.
He credited the outcome to a largely peaceful and orderly vote, stating that there were “only a few isolated incidents” of disruption or malpractice.
He applauded voters for rejecting entrenched power blocs and standing firm against candidates he referred to as “big wings.”
Among them, he singled out former Minister Esther Mbayo, claiming she was blocked by grassroots voters from becoming even a village-level secretary.
“That takes courage,” Ofwono said, implying that such actions by ordinary voters reflected a new boldness within the party’s base.
He also suggested that the outcome could help counteract longstanding issues in the party’s internal elections, such as vote-buying and corruption.
“When voters decide who they want, it means they will eat your money and not vote for you,” Ofwono said, suggesting that the electorate was increasingly willing to resist monetary influence and instead choose candidates on merit.
The NRM is now preparing for the second round of its electoral process, expected to be more competitive as candidates jostle for higher positions in the party structure.
The full internal election roadmap stretches across several levels of party leadership and is widely seen as a key prelude to national political activity ahead of the 2026 general elections.
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