Kampala, Uganda: Ugandan Businessman, Eng Jonard Asiimwe, has emerged as the overwhelming favourite to win the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) Vice Chairmanship for Western Uganda, if the votes are to be determined by a latest opinion poll conducted on social media.
The poll, launched on Sunday, June 30, by local media channel UGDiplomat on WhatsApp, has quickly gained traction among NRM grassroots mobilisers, youth leaders, and district opinion shapers across Western Uganda.
By Tuesday, July 1 at 3 pm (EAT), Eng Asiimwe had secured an impressive 317 votes, more than seven times the tally of his closest rival, the incumbent CEC Vice Chairperson and Minister for ICT, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, who was at 44 votes at the same time.
In the third place is former Presidential Assistant for Research and Information, Duncan Abigaba, trailing with only 13 votes in the same survey.
Although the poll did not include every declared aspirant, such as Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU)’s Michael Mawanda, Blaise Kamugisha, among others, the results have already sparked animated discussions, particularly in the Bunyoro and Ankole regions, about the growing momentum behind Asiimwe’s candidacy.
The respected Bunyoro businessman and the Chairman of Jonard Conglomerate Investments Ltd is widely credited for spearheading private sector-led community development initiatives, especially in agriculture, youth skilling, and renewable energy solutions.
Asiimwe’s visibility in rural empowerment projects has contributed to a surge in his popularity among young NRM delegates and local council leaders seeking a fresh generational voice at the party’s top table.
Speaking anonymously about what the poll result means, one NRM district youth chairperson from Kibaale District remarked, saying; “Asiimwe has shown us that you can create jobs, invest in communities, and still be committed to the NRM values. People want a leader who is available, not just in Kampala, and who understands the real struggles in the villages.”
Another WhatsApp group member based in Hoima observed: “You can feel the hunger for new energy. This poll reflects the silent majority who have been waiting for someone dynamic, someone not entangled in the old guard politics.”
Although the WhatsApp poll results may not directly determine the outcome of the NRM Electoral college, it highlights a generational shift that is increasingly influencing the CEC elections, with young voters and first-time delegates rallying behind candidates they believe will bridge the gap between the NRM establishment and the grassroots.
While Dr Baryomunsi retains incumbency advantages and national name recognition both as a Minister and Member of Parliament (Kinkiizi East), analysts say the enthusiasm around Asiimwe portrays a growing appetite for transformative leadership in the party’s Western Uganda bloc.
Jonard Asiimwe’s team welcomed the poll as “a sign that the message of inclusive prosperity, community empowerment, and youth-led development is resonating,” but insisted that the campaign remains focused on engaging delegates directly in every district before the decisive Namboole Delegates Conference next month (August).
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