Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Sunday suspended Cabinet meetings and agreed with Parliament to halt Tuesday plenary sittings to allow full participation in the ruling NRM party’s village-level elections scheduled for this week, starting tomorrow, May 6, 2025.
In a directive issued last evening, Mr Museveni instructed all NRM members to report to their village centers by 10:00 am for a two-part exercise: verification of names in the NRM membership register and election of party flag-bearers for LC1 chairperson positions.
“I am alerting and requesting all NRM members to go to the village centers in their respective local areas by 10 am… to do two things: verify the members of the NRM that have been registered in the NRM registers; and take part in the elections of the NRM LCI flag-bearer for LCI chairmanship and also elect the village NRM structures,” Museveni said.
The activity, scheduled to run strictly between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, will be coordinated by the NRM Electoral Commission and is being treated as a cornerstone event in the party’s internal roadmap toward the 2026 general elections.
Mr Museveni also confirmed that he will personally take part in the register verification in his home village of Rwakitura, Kiruhura District, while First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni will oversee the exercise in Ireenga, Ntungamo.
“I will personally be in the Rwakitura village and Maama will be in Ntungamo Ireenga to take part in the verification of our respective NRM, village registers,” he revealed, adding, “I will, however, not line behind any candidate for election because as chairman of the NRM, I welcome any choice of our members. I cannot and should not, therefore, take sides.”
The President, therefore, announced the suspension of official government business to enable participation in the electoral process. “There will be no cabinet meeting on Monday, the 5th of May, 2025, and I have also agreed with the Rt. Hon. Speaker, that there will be no Parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, the 6th of May, 2025,” he added.
“There will be no Cabinet meeting on Monday, 5th May 2025, and I have also agreed with the Rt. Hon. Speaker, that there will be no Parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, 6th May,” Museveni said, emphasizing the importance of the grassroots engagement.
He further clarified that while he will participate in the verification process, he will not endorse any candidate in the flag-bearer elections. “As chairman of the NRM, I welcome any choice of our members. I cannot and should not, therefore, take sides,” he said.
The development comes just days before the scheduled polling date under the party’s 2025/26 electoral roadmap, which saw nominations conclude on April 30 and campaigns run from May 1–5. Polling across all villages is expected on Tuesday, May 6.
According to analysts, the exercise is vital in cleaning up the NRM register, resolving internal rivalries, and laying a firm foundation for credible grassroots structures. The outcome is expected to shape the NRM’s broader organizational strategy ahead of the 2026 elections, in which Museveni is widely expected to seek re-election.
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