The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has warned its members against contesting as independent candidates in the upcoming Local Council One (LC1) and Women Council elections, saying those who defy the party’s endorsement process will face disciplinary action.
Speaking at the NRM Secretariat, Secretary General Richard Todwong unveiled the party’s roadmap following the Electoral Commission’s release of the election programme, emphasizing that all party members must rally behind officially endorsed candidates.
According to Todwong, Women Council elections at the village level will be held on July 23, while LC1 elections are scheduled for July 28.
He urged all eligible NRM members aged 18 years and above to take part in the ongoing verification of residents and compilation of the village voter register, which runs from July 6 to July 10. He explained that separate registers will be used for the two elections, with the Women Council register comprising only women aged 18 years and above.
Todwong said the NRM Electoral Commission will conduct village Barazas on July 10 to identify and endorse candidates in villages where the party currently has no flag bearers, as well as elect Women Council flag bearers. A second round of Barazas, organised by the party’s Directorate of Mobilisation, will take place on July 22 to rally support for NRM candidates ahead of polling day.
He said all aspiring party candidates must have their nomination forms endorsed by authorised NRM leaders between July 11 and July 14 before presenting them to the Electoral Commission for official nomination between July 15 and July 19.
Todwong warned that the party would not tolerate members who contest against official NRM flag bearers as independents.
“We are not going to allow anybody who is not endorsed by the party or anyone contesting as an independent against an official NRM flag bearer. Such actions go against the party constitution, and the disciplinary committee will take action,” he said.
He noted that the NRM already has candidates in the majority of Uganda’s more than 72,000 villages, explaining that the upcoming Barazas are primarily intended to fill vacancies created by the death, relocation, or resignation of previously identified candidates.
Addressing concerns over election-related violence, Todwong said the party had recorded fewer violent incidents during its recent internal electoral activities, attributing the improvement to increased mobilisation and voter sensitisation.
While acknowledging that it would be difficult to deploy security personnel to every village, he expressed confidence that the remaining electoral processes would be conducted peacefully.
Todwong also reminded aspiring candidates that nominations are free of charge. To qualify, candidates must be Ugandan citizens, residents of the villages they seek to represent, at least 18 years old, possess a valid National Identification Card, and appear on the Electoral Commission’s village voters’ register.
He added that messages from NRM National Chairman President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the party’s Secretary General would be disseminated to members to promote unity and encourage support for officially endorsed candidates ahead of the elections.
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