President Yoweri Museveni has taken a firm stance on the widespread electoral fraud reported during the recent NRM party primaries by directing that all disputes be addressed through a Special Legal Tribunal, rather than by the NRM Electoral Commission chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi.
In a strongly worded statement shared on Tuesday evening via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Museveni castigated individuals within the party who manipulated the primary process through acts of bribery, violence, and vote tampering.
He expressed deep concern over the damage such actions have caused to the ruling party’s credibility and to Uganda’s democratic processes more broadly.
“The mistakes included altering results, bribery, and claims of interfering with the registers. These actions were criminal and distorted the politics and the law of elections,” wrote Museveni, who also serves as the NRM National Chairman.
The President revealed that several arrests have already been made in connection with electoral malpractice, carried out by Uganda’s Internal Security Organisation (ISO) and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
However, Museveni was unequivocal in stating that Dr. Tanga Odoi will not be entrusted with resolving the disputes, arguing that the errors linked to the primaries require a neutral legal process.
“Tanga Odoi cannot be the one who corrects a mistake he made. It is the lawyers’ committee (the Tribunal) that will handle the politics and the Law,” Museveni declared, sending a clear message about accountability and impartiality.
Referring to himself by his traditional title *Ssaabalwanyi – Ssemalungu*, the President reaffirmed his belief in the integrity of the party’s lining-up voting method, stating that results at polling stations conducted in daylight were unmistakably clear.
He condemned those who later altered those results as dishonest actors engaging in outright criminality.
“Those affected by the mistakes should know their grievances are being addressed. Everything will be rectified. It is just the facts and evidence that will conclude the matter,” Museveni assured party members and the public.
This marks a significant departure from past practices, signaling Museveni’s resolve to enforce stricter internal discipline and transparency within the NRM ahead of the 2026 general elections.
His decision to shift dispute resolution to a tribunal of legal professionals is also a clear rebuke to the party’s electoral machinery and a warning to any actors seeking to undermine internal democracy.
The latest directive, which is Museveni’s third public statement on the matter in just two days, reflects the mounting pressure to cleanse the NRM of fraudulent elements and respond to the swelling number of petitions submitted at party headquarters in Kampala.
As legal reviews proceed and more contested results come under scrutiny, the President’s intervention is widely expected to result in the nullification of fraudulent declarations and potential legal action against the perpetrators.
The move has been welcomed by many NRM supporters demanding justice, and it highlights a renewed push by the party’s top leadership to restore public trust and maintain cohesion ahead of a critical electoral cycle.
