The Office of the National Chairman (ONC) under President Museveni’s leadership has initiated a series of consultative meetings with National Resistance Movement (NRM) district chairpersons in the Busoga Region.

The primary goal of these meetings is to reconcile leaders and address internal disputes within the party in preparation for the 2026 elections.

Led by the Special Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs (SPA/PA-ONC) Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo and Head of Mobilization, Hajj Shafiq Mwanje, the ONC team commenced their visit this week, starting with Bugiri and Luuka districts.

In these meetings, they engaged with NRM stakeholders, including party executive committees, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), District Police Commanders (DPCs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), and other security heads.

During the discussions in Bugiri District, local leaders raised concerns about unfulfilled government promises, pending projects, and ongoing challenges affecting the district.

Among the issues highlighted were the inadequate road network, internal conflicts within the party leadership, and low sugarcane prices, which could potentially impact the upcoming elections.

In response, Mr Mwanje advised the district party leadership to establish non-partisan committees at the Subcounty level.
“These committees would play a vital role in identifying suitable candidates for various elective positions, ensuring fairness and transparency in the selection process,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of neutrality and impartiality in the committee’s operations to avoid any undue influence in political appointments.

Additionally, leaders at the meeting requested intervention from SPA Hadijah Namyalo to mediate a tense dispute between two rival factions within the party. They stressed the importance of reconciliation for the party’s unity and effectiveness in the district and the broader region.

They further requested the ONC team to deliver their special message to the President and Party National Chairman to fulfil pending promises made for their electorate such as the elevation of the district hospital to a Referral status, and handling the price of sugarcane so that farmers can benefit from the lucrative plantations in the district.

After Bugiri, the ONC team also visited Luuka District, and held a meeting with the NRM district executive and the party’s administrative committee, plus the local government leadership and security heads for a stakeholder discussion on issues with the eastern district and to forge a way forward on how NRM can perform better in the upcoming elections.

In their meeting with Luuka leaders, the ONC team was shocked to find out that the district voted 99% in other positions and yet voted less than 50% for the Presidential elections.

When asked why, the district party leaders and local government executives cited unfulfilled promises and in-fights among the NRM bigwigs in the region as reasons why the electorate might have voted against the National Chairman in the 2021 elections.

They (the leaders) also said that when the army beat up the civilians when NUP’s Bobi Wine visited the area in the run-up to the 2021 elections, the NRM government ignored the electorate and didn’t reach out to them for at least compensation and reconciliation, which might have impacted such a voting pattern.

They, similar to Bugiri leaders, also cited poor roads in the district, and lower sugarcane prices which leaves farmers harvesting less from the lucrative sugarcane growing activity, thus asking the President to intervene and institute a factory within to uplift their standards of living.

In response, the ONC team assured the leaders that President Museveni is very much thoughtful about the promises made for Luuka way back in 2016 and that the road in particular; Luuka-Iganga Road is already in budget for implementation before the next elections.

They (ONC team) also asked the leadership of Luuka through the Busoga Consortium for Development to arrange and pay a courtesy visit to H.E. Museveni’s Senior Presidential Advisor and Political Head at ONC, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo so that they can formally present their views and grievances, and make them reach the President’s office.

The SPA herself affirmed to this publication her plans to reach out to the Bazzukulu in Bugiri and Luuka as far as the wealth creation campaign is concerned and promised that she will set a date to empower them with startup capital items to uplift their well-being. She thanked the leaders in the two districts for the warm reception of the ONC team.

“Having started on our new journey of uniting different stakeholders at different levels including the Bazzukulu at the district to village level under the theme of securing your future through Wealth Creation, we thank the people of Bugiri and Luuka Districts for the warm reception and understanding of our concept. We look forward to meeting other stakeholders in different districts,” SPA Namyalo said.

“Today we are in Bukomansimbi District,” she added.

Overall, the meeting with the district leaders in the two districts within Busoga Sub-region was impactful as it opened eyes of both the ONC team and the party leadership at district levels which will help in the restructuring of the positions ahead of the internal positions.

The meeting was attended by ONC Busoga Sub-region regional Coordinators Ms. Kyanika Rahmah, Muteguya Denis, Kisoma Samuel, and District Coordinator Dhamuzungu Denin.

The Office of the National Chairman continues to traverse the country, in meeting NRM party leaders as the ruling government eyes to recapture it’s past glory and reclaim elective positions from the opposition.