By Augustine Otuko
Having grown progressively through the revolutionary ranks of the National Resistance Movement right from the University, Rt Hon Richard Todwong comes along with the wealth of experience on a variety of issues relating to the management of politics and governance networks within NRM.
Just like it is in Strong political parties across the world, the leadership of NRM in search for performance and institutional building seeks to address the underlying internal political question of weak party Organs and a loud absence of a critical mass of cadres with similar appreciation of the world political view about the positioning for the direction the Party and the country is taking or should take for social economic transformation.
Having served in different capacities as a guild speaker, chairman of URA Staff Union, Special Presidential Advisor, MP, Minister and Deputy Secretary General, the Appointment of Rt Richard Todwong as a Secretary General of NRM comes in a great time of many questions with little answers. Building to the future, Rt Hon Todwong as the Mission bearer should Focus more on the following:-
Firstly, the management of internal party elections. Over time there is a growing number of members and supporters who have continuously become disenfranchised because of the way the election processes are managed in NRM. There is high bribery of election managers and those without cash (who are the majority) become victims. Highest bidders stand high chances of being declared winners of NRM Flags. The Party should consider thorough vetting of Village and District Election Officers and above all facilitate them well to avoid being compromised.
On the other hand Election Tribunal such as the one in the 2021 party disputes, need to be filled with credible party members who do not compromise the integrity of the Party at all times. Otherwise, those with cash will always pay their way to NRM election judgment. A case in point was the Katakwi District Woman MP Flag that was declared in Kampala without appreciation of the actual issues on the ground. The mismanagement of elections has gradually led to an increasing number of independent elected leaders at all levels.
Secondly, the new Secretary General should focus more on ever growing internal party intrigue and cliques. The intrigue cliques are driven by selfishness and greed. Purported members of the movement spend a lot of their energy and resources fighting each other to satisfy their ego at the expense of the party spirit. NRM lacks Disciplinary mechanisms and resources to address issues as they arise. For over 10 years the NRM Disciplinary committee has never been constituted nor has it sat to deliberate on any matters of discipline. NRM should consider having a disciplinary council right from the Village to the National Level to address emerging internal challenges at various structural levels.
Thirdly, Cleaning and organising a members register. For a long time, NRM National Secretariat has not been able to put to rest the issue of a membership register. There have been public statements contradicting each other by top NRM leaders on the actual number of members that NRM has. For any serious party administration, the issue of having a proper and clean register should and MUST never be debated. It is a matter of service above mediocrity. Any Serious Party should know that the basis for its existence is a committed membership. NRM should address this matter with immediate consideration. The NRM also needs to define who members and supporters are. Not everyone is a member, some should actually be supporters. However, for now, NRM is giving amnesty to everybody who registers in their yellow books as a member.
Fourthly; the Issue of Party Financing. All serious parties across the world and Africa in Particular, such as CCM of Tanzania, EPRDP of Ethiopia, ANC of South Africa etc have vibrant economic wings that are responsible for raising party resources to finance progressive party activities. A Party MUST have a functional Business wing
