OPINION- The Minister of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries Hon Frank Tumwebaze Kagiigi has opened up and suggested an overhaul and re-examination of National Resistance Movement (NRM) internal primary elections asking if they still serve their purpose.
This follows the recently concluded Kisoro District Woman Member of Parliament by-election that saw independent candidate Ms Akifeza Grace Ngabirano trounce the highly prized NRM candidate Ms Rose Kabagyeni whom the party honchos had had handed over the party flag.
Four other candidates that included Ms Zubedi Sultana Salim for National Unity Platform Party, Ms Mable Ingabire for Ugandan Peoples Congress, Ms Juliet Musanase for Forum for Democratic Change and Ms Aisha Cyimpaye who contested on the Peoples Progressive Party participated in the highly publicised by-election, amidst claims of bribery and rigging.
Shortly after the Electoral Commission Returning Officer Nayebare Daniel announced Ms Akifeza Ngabirano as the eventual winner, Minister Tumwebaze took to social media using his X handle and asked if the party primary elections still serve the purpose.
“Its time for us in NRM to re-examine whether our primary elections still serve the purpose…., do they still unable us to achieve internal party cohesion? Are they a uniting or a divisive factor? What if we amended the Political Organizations Act (POA) to allow parties make selections ……”
Minister Tumwebaze post seem to have awakened other national political analysts like former Uganda Investment Authority Morrison Rwakakamba who hit the social media stand and made it categorically clear that the principle of primary elections is superior.
“The UPC used to appoint the candidates, it weakened the party politically and eventually got swept by the NRM revolution” Rwakakamba pointed out.
Rwakakamba went on to say that he thinks the challenge in the National Resistance Movement is at tactical level that’s is management of primary elections, identification and encouragement of egile candidates.
He urged that perhaps there is need for reforms of party primary election management processes including post primary elections management.
Rwakakamba noted that at law reform level, independents should be conditioned to go independent from the word go and should not participate in party primaries which needs a closer look at the fundamental human rights of the independents and said that this topic needs introspection, reflection and indepth debate.
Sheema Deputy Resident District Commissioner Sam Orikunda Evidence came out with a more vivid view of the outcome of the Kisoro by – election saying that should not shock anyone.
“This is a clear indication of dissatisfaction of the people basing on the outcome of the primary election which was held a few days ago. Kisoro district being predominantly NRM, its now astonishing that they would disobey the party national chairman and choose the independent candidate over “an NRM official flag bearer”.
Orikunda who identifies himself as a committed cadre of the movement, noted that when the Kisoro District Woman NRM primary election results were released, several people complained that there was a lot of bribery, malpractice and rigging.
“It’s a shame that as we head to 2026, the NRM Electoral Commission headed by Dr Tanga Odoi cannot organize a free and fair primaries in a by election of a small district. What should we expect when the entire country goes to polls? Shall we not have a selection instead of an election? Why can’t NRM EC officials allow the NRM supporters to choose the candidate they want? What do people gain from winning the flag and later lose the final election? Are these officials aware that the opposition can take advantage of this confusion and defeat the party”? Orikunda asked.
Orikunda said that the reports of sectarianism are embarrassing and it appears people are in the party for formality but they do not follow the party principles neither do they understand the historical mission of the NRM.
He said that it should be the mandate of the party leadership to put them to order for the good of us all and for the future of the party.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who campaigned for the NRM candidate Rose Kabagyeni in Kisoro, was very careful while addressing several rallies and said that he would investigate claims of voter bribery and rigging within the National Resistance Movement.
He later visited and held a meeting with Kisoro District NRM Chairperson Hon Philemon Mateke at his residence where he paid homage to deceased former Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs Hon Sarah Mateke Nyirabatshiki who died in August leaving a vacant post that has been filled by Ms Akifeza Ngabirano.
