As you are all aware, we are left with approximately two years to the next general election. Our electoral programmes and action plans as a Party are normally informed by the roadmap of the National Electoral Commission. The IEC has already released the electoral roadmap for the 2026 general elections, and it’s our responsibility as political parties under the multi-party dispensation to follow suit and adjust accordingly to resonate with the IEC timelines.
Allow me to furnish you with some of the milestones and activities we have undertaken as a Party in the last three years since we assumed office.
By-Elections:
We have conducted a number of by-elections most of which have been won by NRM. These include; Bukimbiri in Kisoro [won by NRM], Kayunga District LC5 [won by NRM], Bukedea District LC5 [won by NRM], Soroti East Division [won by NRM], Omoro county [won by NRM], Oyam North [won by UPC], Gogonyo in Pallisa [won by NRM], Hoima District LC 5 [won by NRM], Busongora South in Kasese [won by NRM] Serere County [won by Independent-NRM leaning].
There is another by-election in Dokolo for District Woman Representative where we also expect to win.
Mobilization:
From the time we assumed office, we embarked on a countrywide mobilization tour. We have interacted with the structures of the party at zonal level; and so far we have visited Bukedi sub-region and some parts of West Nile, Kampala, Wakiso, Kigezi, Kasese, Bunyoro, Teso.
In the next phase we shall visit Ankole, Acholi, Lango, Busoga, Buganda and Karamoja.
Through the above interactions with our party structures, a lot of critical issues were identified and recommendations suggested to plug the loopholes affecting the strength and vibrancy of our glorious Liberation Movement.
We have also made inroads with the urban youth especially those in the Slums and Ghettoes within Kampala, we intend to do this to all the urban areas.
We have also interacted with the Forces- mainly the spouses of the Police Force and the Prisons Service with a view to exploring ways of mobilising them along the wealth creation channel. It’s worth noting that previously the party did not do much to reach out to the Forces, and yet this is a crucial electoral constituency.
Women Council and Committee Elections
The Independent Electoral Commission in May, 2022 released the roadmap for the countrywide elections for the Women Councils and Committees from the grassroots (village) to the national level.
This election circle, which had been slated to take place country wide in the 2nd week of July, 2022; has since been postponed and subsequently the Minister for Local Government issued a statutory notice extending the term of office for LCs and Women Councils and Committees to June, 2024. We thank H.E. the President for supporting the NRM Electoral Commission to identify candidates at the village level.
The party had, however, done some mobilization work for these elections, including formation of a national campaign mobilization team involving the party’s Women League leadership; which team had made some headways to generating flag bearers for each village, despite the initial challenges.
Local Council Leadership in Kampala:
On 3rd December, 2022, I hosted the Local Council Chairpersons from within Kampala Capital City Authority, starting with Nakawa and Makindye Divisions, to better appreciate their challenges and consequently boost support for the National Resistance Movement.
The party will at an appropriate time, share with the Central Executive Committee the findings with recommended strategies of this intervention, once the planned interactions with the rest of the divisions is completed.
Ideological Clinics, Kiswahili and Public Speaking programme:
The Party Secretariat launched the weekly Ideological sessions which would take place every Wednesday and followed by scores of people online. Our next step is to decentralise the Clinics and cascade them to Ghettoes, slums, Universities and institutions, and finally customize them at district level.
So far, successful clinics have been conducted in Bishop Stuart University (Mbarara), Gulu University (Gulu) and Nkumba University (Wakiso); we have engaged students in Makerere University; Makerere University Business School; Mbarara University of Science and Technology; and Muni University.
Alongside the Ideological Clinics, the Party Secretariat launched the Kiswahili and Public Speaking programme for our cadres and members of the public. The Kiswahili Programme is in line with the EAC policy of adopting Kiswahili as the official language within East Africa. So far, we have registered a class of about 150 participants for the Wednesday Class, and 100 participants for the Saturday Weekend Class.
The Kiswahili Classes are complemented by the art of Public Speaking. The course of Public Speaking aims at equipping our cadres with excellent presentation skills while engaging the publics.
After completing the first cycle which ends in July this year, we intend to roll out the Classes to the other regions of the country with a view of reaching out to other people.
Foreign relations:
In the course of strengthening our bilateral ties and engagements, we have established good working relationships with a number of ruling political parties and organisations around the world. These include; the Communist Party of China, the United Russia Party, CCM of Tanzania, the SPLM of South Sudan, FPR of Rwanda, ANC of South Africa, the Prosperity Party of Ethiopia, SWAPO of Botswana, FRELIMO of Mozambique, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the Communist Party of Cuba, etc.
To strengthen our Diaspora Chapters, the NRM Party officials have traveled to the UK, Canada, Germany, the US, and among other countries to interact with members of the Diaspora to explore ways of keeping the Party strong and active, as well as combating the negative propaganda being propagated by the Opposition specifically the lies of the National Unity Platform on the alleged abuse and violation of human rights by the NRM Government.
The Party is deliberately strengthening and upgrading the Department of External/Foreign Affairs with a view of re-awakening the revolutionary fervour of NRM in the Diaspora. The Diaspora/External Affairs Department is being upgraded to among others;
- Provide a common platform of interaction and collaboration with the NRM Diaspora Chapters. We shall need a real data base of actual members/register of members in Diaspora.
- Establish links and networks with foreign friends and partners/fraternal organisations.
- Promote NRM interests including countering negative propaganda to the international community.
- Attract investments by marketing Uganda as a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) hub based on our potential in agriculture, minerals and oil and gas, tourism, etc.
- Liaise with our missions abroad to keep track of our young people who are flocking foreign markets for employment.
Payment of salaries, rent and arrears:
When we assumed office, we discovered that there were lots of arrears which had accumulated over time. And these debts included salaries for staff both at the Headquarters and District level, office rent mainly at the district party offices, and money owed to various suppliers. As I talk now, we have streamlined our processes; the salaries are promptly paid every end of month, the office arrears have been cleared, and most suppliers have been paid, apart from those whose records need to be verified.
Between the 4th and 8th April, 2022; the party Secretariat commissioned a country wide verification of its district offices, to assess the status of the physical addresses of the district office; interface with the District Executive Committees, the administrative secretaries and the election officers.
This exercise was demand driven, to address allegations of endless rental arrears, continuous conflicts arising from intrigue and disharmony and also to capture an eagle eye’s view of vitality of the party structural leaders in each district.
I should add that the Party has embarked on the process of constructing offices at districts. We have so far constructed party offices in Gulu. We have equally been gifted with party offices by some of our leaders including the Sironko District Office donated by Chairman Mafabi Lumolo, Kakumiro office donated by Rt Hon Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Buhweju office gifted by Eng John Bosco Kalisa, Kyankwanzi office offered by Hon Ruth Nankabirwa, etc. The strategic plan of the party is to construct a party office in every district of the country including the NRM House in Kampala.
Update of Voters’ Register, New Party Members:
This exercise involves all NRM members being mobilised and guided by NRM District Chairpersons, NRM District Administrative Secretaries, Sub County NRM Chairpersons and Delegated Election officers, NRM Parish Chairpersons and Delegated Election officers, the Delegated NRM District Election Officers, NRM Zonal Coordinators and Village/Branch Registrars, and all members of the NRM.
The Display exercise is meant to:
- Allow Members check the accuracy of their particulars on the Register;
- To register Members’ Gender, Age, Date of Birth (day/month/year), National Identification Number (NIN) [or Learners Identifications Number (LIN), or Voter Locations Slip (VLS) or a Registration number issued by NIRA, and Telephone Numbers];
- To mark Members of three categories of Special Interest Groups of PWDs, Elderly and Youth;
- Inform the Members of their voting Villages;
- Enable the Branch / Village Registrars remove the ineligible persons from the Register;
- Register new Members; and
- Split/separate the data for new Villages from those where they were created.
The Party’s Electoral Commission has issued the Training Manual and Guidelines for this exercise.
Pursuant to Article 8, Article 40 (9) (i) and (k) and Article 22(5) (g) of the NRM Constitution as amended, the National Resistance Movement Secretariat shall undertake the exercise of Updating the Members’ Register for a period of up to five (5) days, effective from Monday, 13th March, 2024; to Sunday, 17th March, 2024; (both days inclusive). This shall be done in every NRM Branch (Village) across the country.
Pursuant to the above, the NRM is undertaking a training exercise of District Administrative Secretaries, delegated District Election Officers and other levels update field staff. The training for the aforementioned category of persons is commencing on the 26th February 2024 and ending on the 7th of March 2024.
Unlike the past exercises, this one has been designed to categorize the party officials in the categories of (i) those responsible for mobilization and general publicity and (ii) the technical personnel that shall be directly responsible for the registers and the update exercise.
I thank you all
Todwong Richard Awany, Rt Hon
Secretary General, NRM
