The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has dismissed claims about President Yoweri Museveni’s physical ability to lead, saying the party and its chairman remain firmly in charge ahead of the 2026 elections.
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong, speaking during an appearance on *NBS Morning Breeze*, said Ugandans should focus on the strength of political parties rather than rumors about individuals.
“We need to teach Ugandans to embrace multiparty politics. It’s not about you as an individual and your interests, it’s about the party,” Todwong stressed.
He linked the NRM’s minor setbacks in the 2021 elections to internal divisions, particularly members who chose to run as independents.
“Our performance in 2021, in most of the constituencies we lost, was because of internal differences; where we had many NRM-leaning independents who ended up dividing our votes,” he explained.
Todwong insisted there is no political showdown between NRM and the opposition, arguing that no party can match the ruling party’s nationwide reach.
“Even if you put all these other political parties together, they cannot sponsor candidates in every electoral position in the country,” he said.
He also pointed out that defections from opposition parties continue to strengthen the NRM.
“We received over 1,200 members from NUP. They came in their T-shirts and party cards. They defected in the open where everyone was watching,” Todwong revealed, adding: *“A vote is a vote whether from a professor or a farmer. For us we are looking for votes. We don’t discriminate.”
On the nomination process, Todwong said the NRM welcomes strong opponents but criticized opposition parties for failing to prepare adequately.
“It’s unfortunate that other parties didn’t prepare enough and failed to generate the required signatures. We in NRM need them nominated. We are ready to win the election and we need formidable opponents,” he said.
With Museveni set to run under the slogan “Protecting the Gains”, Todwong said the NRM is united and ready to campaign, insisting that the president’s health is not in question.
