ONC Coordinators, NUP dominate NRM Village Polls

Kampala, Uganda: The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s grassroots elections held on Tuesday, May 6, were dominated by influential coordinators from the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), signalling the commendable job done by Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, the Senior Presidential Advisor and Manager of the Kyambogo office, for nurturing party cadres ahead of the 2026 polls.

Across more than 72,000 polling stations countrywide, the exercise, intended to elect LC1 flagbearers ahead of the 2026 elections, witnessed active participation from ONC coordinators, many of whom swept the polls with little resistance.

Among those elected were top-ranking ONC strategists from various regions, such as Hakim Kyeswa, ONC’s Head of Digital Media, Hellen Nakeya – Greater Masaka Regional Coordinator, Chris Buyera – Bugisu Regional Coordinator, Tunura Brian – Bunyoro Regional Coordinator, Ivan Ssemuddu – Buvuma, Segero Ali – Informal Sector Coordinator, and Abaho Badru – Media Coordinator, Greater Masaka, among others.

Their victories signal a strategic sweep by the ONC, cementing the structure’s growing grip on the NRM’s grassroots machinery ahead of the general polls set for next year.

NUP Exploit Loopholes to vote

Despite the positive ONC influence in the NRM polls, the elections were also infiltrated by supporters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), raising fresh questions about internal control, voter integrity, and structural weaknesses.

In districts such as Luweero, opposition supporters, particularly from NUP, reportedly took part in the NRM primaries, capitalizing on the party’s flexible verification guidelines.

Following a directive from President Museveni, voters without names on the NRM register were allowed to vote if confirmed by village chairpersons. The loophole, widely abused, opened the door for non-NRM supporters to influence outcomes in several polling centers including Kasana Market, Kavule, Lumu, and Kiwogozi.

NUP-leaning youths are said to have voted multiple times across villages, while others admitted to switching camps temporarily to take advantage of the process. Local NRM officials such as Kisekka Ssaka, Chairman of Lumu Zone, confirmed having verified non-registered residents to vote.

Concerns Over Integrity and Internal Sanity

The development has left many NRM loyalists disgruntled, accusing the party leadership of undermining its own systems through lax guidelines that have opened the door to infiltration and manipulation.

With ONC consolidating its political presence and opposition supporters finding their way into internal decision-making processes, insiders say the NRM must urgently restore structural discipline and verify its membership base before higher-level primaries kick off.

The grassroots elections, seen as the foundation for the party’s 2026 roadmap, have now exposed a widening gap between official control and ground-level mobilization, setting the stage for possible internal realignments.