KAMPALA, UGANDA – Fresh tension is escalating within Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) as youthful party members prepare to protest what they describe as a calculated attempt by the party’s Electoral Commission (EC) to block them from contesting for positions on the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s topmost organ.
The NRM Electoral Commission, chaired by Dr. Tanga Odoi and headquartered at Kyadondo Plot 13, has come under fire from various youth aspirants.
They allege that the Commission is silently enforcing an unwritten policy that bars candidates below the age of 45 from contesting for senior party leadership positions.
Reports indicate that some EC officials have been advising youthful contenders to limit their political ambitions to grassroots “ghetto structures” and youth leagues, sparking outrage among young NRM members who constitute the majority of the party’s delegates across the country.
“This is a betrayal of the spirit of inclusivity. The Constitution of Uganda and the NRM party constitution allow anyone above 18 years to contest. Why then are we being sidelined?” lamented one of the youth aspirants for CEC.
Concerns Over Institutional Bias
Critics point to recent decisions by the EC as signs of institutional bias. For instance, the EC recently disqualified a candidate in Bukedea on the basis of not having a home – a move that reportedly shocked the party’s grassroots members, though many senior stakeholders remained silent. Such decisions, critics argue, reflect a dangerous trend of politically motivated exclusions.
“The EC is losing credibility. These are the same youth who revived NRM popularity through ghetto mobilization, patriotism clubs, and other pressure groups. Now that they want a seat at the high table, the goalposts are being shifted,” a senior youth mobilizer from Eastern Uganda stated.
Sources close to the ongoing internal CEC campaigns reveal that some wealthy and well-connected individuals, either current occupants or aspirants for top CEC positions, are reportedly uncomfortable with the growing support youth aspirants are enjoying at the grassroots level. Insiders suggest this fear is fueling attempts to manipulate the Electoral Commission into enforcing age-based exclusions.
“There is panic because the youth are plotting a protest vote. The rich and corrupt are scared. Most of them have questionable records – CHOGM funds scandals, iron sheet thefts, cooperative embezzlements – and some are already battling court cases. Shouldn’t they be the ones to step aside?” questioned another youthful aspirant.
Further controversy was ignited by alleged internal communications from the NRM Secretariat, suggesting that those contesting for CEC must be “mature and established individuals.” This comment drew sharp criticism from several youth leaders.
“The Secretary General himself joined NRM leadership as a young man. Why should he now discourage others from walking the same path?” one contestant queried.
Call for Presidential Intervention
With tensions rising and frustration mounting, youth leaders are now calling on His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – the party’s National Chairman – to intervene and protect the democratic rights of young party members.
“If these exclusionist tactics continue, NRM risks alienating the very group that helped restore its support base. The party must remain a mass party for all – not just the rich, the elite, or the corrupt,” warned a statement from a youth faction planning peaceful demonstrations this week.
As the 2025 NRM internal elections draw closer, the battle lines are clearly being drawn not just over specific positions, but over the fundamental principles of inclusivity and the very soul of the party.
