Daily Monitor
Thursday February 25 2021
In August and September, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) conducted chaotic internal elections that left the party largely bruised rather than strengthened. The elections, which were to choose leaders to form the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and to elect party flag bearers for parliamentary and other local government positions, were characterised by allegations of rigging and violence.
While the primaries and CEC elections can be said to have further cemented the party’s popularity as noted from the big number of contestants, they also put the party’s internal democracy to the test. For instance, the CEC elections were dominated by many young party members, including Persis Namuganza, Hakeem Asiimwe Lukenge, Jane Frances Amongin, and Deborah Kyazike Kinobe, all seeking to unseat the old guard featuring Moses Kigongo, Rebecca Kadaga, and Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza, etc.