The NRM Office of the National Chairman (ONC) says it wants Gen Yoweri Museveni to secure a cool 90% poll victory in 2026. However, spy agency-ISO has warned that unless NRM urgently handles some internal critical matters, the party is likely not to get the much needed 50+1% outright victory.
All this detail has been alerted to the newly appointed ONC regional coordinators who have been dispatched to 22 Sub-regions of Uganda by ONC head office under Chief Muzzukulu Hajat Uzeiye Namyalo Hadijah.
The ONC at Kyambogo has been a busy place the whole of this week as it has spent it orienting a line of over 130 carefully selected NRM operatives (Musevenists) who have now been dispatched to 22 Sub-regions of Uganda.
“We looked for value addition not friends. Otherwise, if it were for friends, I have many of them but I didnt call them. You went through a rigorous vetting process to be finally accepted to work for this office. We have evaluation mechanism and those who will perform better will be rewarded. Learn how to fight for relevance in your areas” Uzeiye told the coordinators.
Each sub-region has been assigned a Coordinator and shall be backed up by two or three Bazzukulus to ensure no stone is left unturned in the tasks given to them.
To prove the seriousness of the matter at hand, Gen. Museveni who’s also NRM chairman in this same week went ahead and renewed the contract of ONC head also National Cordinator of the Bazzukulu movement, Hajat Uzeiye Namyalo Hadijah as his Senior Presidential Advisor/Political Affairs!
Uzeiye was a few months ago appointed by Gen. Museveni to run the hitherto ‘dormant’ ONC office at Kyambogo with specific directives for her to bring back his Bazzukulu who had deserted him.
It seems the traumatizing defeat he got in Buganda and Busoga mainly; was attributed to weaknesses at ONC, the reason he had to change his guards and brought the Chief Muzzukulu Uzeiye Namyalo Hadijah to head it.
At the time of her appointment, Uzeiye was a celebrated farmer rearing rabbits, growing mangoes and poultry in addition to practicing her legal profession. A Iran-trained lady, Uzeiye had also gone through the hands of Gen. Salim Saleh who trained her especially on matters of commercial agriculture. She also worked in the Islamic banking sector, something which exposed her to business personalities, the reason she now exports farm produces like mangoes. Those who know her therefore, suggest Uzeiye joined ONC when she was already part of the Money economy!
“I want you to go and bring back my Bazzukulu. Whether they are with my son (Muhoozi) or Kyagulanyi (NUP). Bring them back” Gen. Museveni told Uzeiye at the time of her appointment.
True, in 2021 presidential elections, Kyagulanyi defeated Museveni in Buganda and so in Busoga. In Busoga for example, out of the 11 districts and a City, Museveni only won in Namutumba, Kaliro and Buyende but even here, he survived with a narrow margin.
With such a trend, the president chose to deploy a versatile and youthful Uzeiye to head ONC but with instructions to bring back Bazzukulu or youths.
He even warned her against allowing herself to be corrupted by what he called his ‘corrupt group’.
“I told the president that yes, we can deliver but we can’t work alone. And not only working but also facilitation. These people (Museveni supporters) have over been used. And me I don’t want to work with people who are hungry. I hate it” she said recalling part of the conversation with the president. Uzeiye even presented a budget worth Shs2m to the president as salary for each ONC coordinator.
According to Uzeiye, it took a cool four months lobbying for the issue of coordinators and their facilitation until the system finally agreed to recruit them and also give them a modest salary and related support. At the end of the training, the Coordinators were handed with brand new laptops and smart phones as further motivation for them to deliver as tasked!
The communication gadgets are to help them digitally monitor governmnent programs, expose the thugs and making reports in a more safe way to avoid them being altered by saboteurs. They are also supposed to use them to promote Museveni’s brand.
“We want absolute loyalty. If you’re not clear, we fire you and bring on board other people. We want to digitize NRM work for effective coordination” Uzeiye said as she handed over the gadgets, adding that ‘whatever way you do it, we don’t care as long as it’s for value addition. Creativity is emphasized here. What we need is Mzee’s brand to be promoted’
WHY MUSEVENI NEEDED CORDINATORS
Inside ONC head office, is an agenda that President Museveni must not get anything below 90% in the 2026 polls. This was revealed by ONC Administrator Dr. Mariam Nakimuli.
“We’re looking at Mzee’s comeback at 90%. So, we have a cause to work hard. Ensure that all funds sent and programs are put to appropriate use. Programs like Emyooga, PDM etc. The hospitals and schools, why do we see drugs expire at National Medical Stores yet people are crying of no drugs in hospitals? We want those reports” she told the coordinators.
Indeed, Nakimuli’s concerns are a cause to worry NRM and Gen. Museveni. Already, a security report by Internal Security Organisation (ISO) has warned that unless NRM puts it’s house to order earlier before 2026, the party and it’s presidential candidate may not be able to garner a 50+1% outright win.
According to ISO director for political affairs Maj. Frank Banana, the NRM is faced with a basket of challenges corruption being the major one.
“If we don’t address the current challenges affecting NRM before the next general elections, the party COULD NOT get an outright win in the general elections” he warned. Indeed Museveni’s performance in elections has been declining from the initial 75% down to 58% he got in the last election.
Banana told the coordinators that the main challenges facing NRM currently include commercialization of politics which he says denies other people a chance to participate and therefore choose to leave politics to the rich, infighting among NRM leaders which he said even led to NRM loss in Buganda, Busoga and some other parts of the country.
“It happened in Kiboga, Kabale municipality, Mukono municipality, Mukono South, Butambala, Jinja City, Ndorwa South, Nakaseke etc. Another challenge facing NRM is poorly managed NRM primaries. You find that some votes are even arrested by police on the way to polling areas” Maj. Banana said adding that “There’s also a problem of corruption by government officers. Services aren’t reaching the people. There’s also a challenge of radicalization of the youth by some political parties like NUP the most recent one being that of 2020/1 where youths staged violent protests”
Other challenges generally facing governmnent according to Banana is terrorism, Cyber crime, huge public debt among others.
He therefore, asked the coordinators to be patriotic and not leave security matters to only those in uniform.
“A cadre must be honest and an agent of peace and stability of the country.You must get interested in insecurity issues. Don’t look at security and leave it to only those in uniform. We must share information with security agencies to deal with and counter insecurity in this country. The current threats we face as a country are terrorism, Political insurrection, political/economic subversion, foreign interference, espionage and organised crime. A cadre must not engage in subversion” he cautioned.
The revelation by ISO about infighting in NRM comes at a time when there are some groups among party supporters attacking those backing President Museveni. The main group of NRM attacking pro-Musevenists is led by first son Muhoozi Kainerugaba riding on generational aspects.
However, according to Senior Presidential Advisor on political affairs David Mafabi, those who claim Museveni is very old are illitrate.
“Those who say President Museveni is old don’t know what they are talking about. Those others (opponents) who masquerade around are functionally backward, incapable and illiterate to lead Uganda and Africa” Mafabi who was one of the facilitators at the orientation symposium told the coordinators adding that Museveni is endowed with experience having lived through critical global generations including Nuclear, Digital and Space age.
He thus lectured to the coordinators that even as they go to their areas of duty, they need to understand that mobilization is not about shouting NRM oyee, NRM oyee or talking too much.
Quoting Museveni’s words of wisdom to NRM CEC in 2018 and 2019, he said mobilization entails identifying, highlighting and defending the legitimate interests of the people.
“The mission of mobilization therefore, entails identifying, highlighting and fighting for and solving those problems and where need be, oppose some of the illegitimate interests of some of the actors. On this one, you shouldn’t compromise. Oppose the wrong and defend the right” he said.
The ONC regional coordinators according to State House Comptroller Jane Barekye who opened the orientation symposium are supposed to mobilize people to engage in commercial agriculture and related development activities.
“Avoid bribes. You’re on probation. If you accept a bribe, we disqualify you. So, guard against bribes” she told them in a statement also echoed by NRM 2iC Al Hajji Moses Kigongo.
“Avoid corrupt tendencies. Don’t be tempted to become corrupt. This can fail you” Kigongo counseled.
With corruption in districts being a major bottleneck to service delivery, Uzeiye said the ONC coordinators are going to be Museveni’s troops to uncover all lies that technorats have been feeding him on.
She said since the president has limited time he spends with technocrats, they use this opportunity to make fake accountability for funds meant for service delivery.
“It’s in order for ONC to monitor the implementation of the manifesto. How can a technocrat refuse someone to monitor programs? This means you’re fighting the president. As our coordinators, don’t fear. The Bazzukulu want to know what’s happening? Are they (technocrats) stealing their money?” she said.
ONC publist Kitatta Almalik Ibrahim was the mcee of the 3-days symposium which saw prominent politicians and academia give lectures to the regional coordinators.
“You’re still in acting capacity for a time we shall not specify. Some may take days, a month, or so. If you work well, we shall confirm you. But this is a journey we can walk together and deliver together” he said.
