By Hakim Kyeswa
As a young member of the National Resistance Movement, I watched this week’s elections for our Central Executive Committee (CEC) with a mixture of pride and profound concern. The pride comes from witnessing the vibrant, competitive spirit that defines our party—a clear sign of a healthy democracy at work.
The concern, however, stems from the disturbing trail of dust left in its wake: allegations of malpractice, the obscene amounts of money spent, and the unsettling question posed by none other than Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa: why is a voluntary position treated as a matter of life and death?
This is not the NRM I signed up for. The NRM I am patriotic about is built on the principles of discipline, patriotism, and service above self. It is the party that liberated this nation and has stewarded its stability and growth. To see the top echelons of this very party become a battlefield for financial muscle and intimidation is a betrayal of our core values and a dangerous diversion from our historical mission.
Comrade Tayebwa is absolutely right to question the motives of anyone who would spend billions of shillings to secure a seat on a committee that offers no salary, only allowances. In a nation where many of our people still struggle, such profligate spending on an internal party race is not just questionable; it is morally indefensible. It forces us to ask: what is the expected return on such a massive investment? If one spends 3 Billion Shillings to get a seat, how do they plan to recoup it? This calculus has no place in a revolutionary movement. It is the language of opportunists, not patriots.
Some argue that a CEC seat is a gateway to power and influence, a direct line to His Excellency the President. While it is true that CEC is the supreme policy-making organ, this view corrupts its true purpose.
CEC is not a business lounge for networking and securing tenders. It is a war room for formulating policies that drive national development. It is a think-tank for the party’s ideological clarity and a supervisory body for its daily activities. To see it as a mere stepping stone for personal enrichment is to misunderstand its constitutional role and insult the legacy of the revolution.
The words of former CEC member Hon. Francis Babu should be a guiding light for all of us: “I sat in CEC, but I never bothered to go and meet the chairperson unless I had something useful… There is nothing special.” This is the attitude of a true cadre. The value is in the service you render, not the proximity you gain.
Therefore, I call upon the party leadership to see this moment not as a crisis, but as an opportunity for purification. We must urgently institute and enforce clear ethical guidelines for internal elections. We need transparent campaign financing rules and strict penalties for those who attempt to buy their way into leadership.
The NRM Electoral Commission must be empowered to be an impartial arbiter, capable of nullifying results tainted by corruption and violence.
To my fellow young cadres, let us not be disillusioned. Let us see this as our call to action. We must step forward not with bags of money, but with bundles of ideas. We must contest not with intimidation, but with integrity. We must seek leadership not for access to patronage, but for the opportunity to serve and to return the NRM to its original ideals of service and sacrifice.
The fierce competition for CEC seats proves that the NRM remains the most important political force in Uganda. Our duty now is to ensure that this force is led by those who love the party and the country more than they love their own personal interests.
Let us rebuild a CEC that is respected for its wisdom and integrity, not feared for its wealth and influence. That is the NRM worthy of our patriotism.
For God and My Country.
The Author is a former CEC contestant, and Head Digital Media at Office of the National Chairman, NRM.
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