Kampala, Uganda: A new youth-driven pressure group within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has emerged from the corridors of the ruling party, with a renewed push for far-reaching structural and ideological reforms aimed at reshaping the party’s internal democracy ahead of future electoral cycles.
Dubbed the NRM Revolutionary Network, the platform is composed largely of diehard NRM youths who say they are motivated by a desire to strengthen the Movement from the grassroots, enhance accountability, and make the party more responsive to a youthful and increasingly politically conscious membership.
At the centre of the Network’s reform agenda is a call to make top party positions, most notably the presidential flag bearer, open to genuine internal contestation, rather than being automatically tied to the National Chairman, a position currently held by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Under existing party practice, Museveni was endorsed unopposed as both National Chairman and presidential flag bearer for the 2026 election cycle, a decision ratified by the NRM National Delegates Conference and other central party organs but left the potential youth cadres wailing.
“The spirit of revolution within the NRM must allow for open competition at the highest level,” an interim spokesperson of the Network said in an interview. “Young people want to see leadership positions earned on merit, not predetermined by office or tradition.”
Grassroots Pay and Structural Empowerment
Another bold proposal advanced by the Network is the formal resourcing of grassroots party structures, including placing village, sub-county, and district leaders on a fixed monthly payroll funded through the Office of the Secretary General.
The group argues that financially empowered grassroots leaders would be better positioned to monitor government programmes, mobilise communities, and enforce accountability without personal financial strain.
“Village chairpersons should be resourced, not ignored,” said Bagonza, a youth councillor from Masaka. “Providing tools like bicycles or motorcycles is not charity, it’s functional support for accountability.”
The Network further proposes motorcycles for sub-county and division chairpersons, and vehicles with office equipment for district chairpersons, comparable to facilitation provided to local government leaders.
While acknowledging existing youth structures such as the NRM Youth League, the Revolutionary Network argues that young cadres should be integrated across all decision-making and mobilisation structures, not confined to symbolic or special-interest wings.
“NRM youth are not just campaign foot soldiers,” Bagonza said. “We should be shaping policy, strategy, and leadership direction.”
Their views mirror broader conversations within the Movement on generational renewal, merit-based leadership development, and the long-term sustainability of the party.
The push for reform comes in the aftermath of the 2026 general elections, in which the NRM maintained dominance across much of the country, particularly in rural areas, aided by youth-targeted programmes such as Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM).
However, political observers note that while the party’s organisational machinery remains strong, changing political expectations among young voters are fuelling demands for greater transparency and internal democracy.
“The NRM performed well organisationally,” said Kampala-based political analyst Mivule. “But among young cadres, there is a growing feeling that structural renewal is necessary for long-term relevance.”
Renewal, Not Rebellion
The leaders of the NRM Revolutionary Network insist their initiative is not intended to divide the party or form a breakaway faction, but to reinvigorate the Movement’s founding ideals through reform.
They say plans are already underway to formally engage party organs, including the party chairman and central leadership, with proposals for constitutional amendments and internal restructuring.
“We love the NRM,” one of the Network leaders said. “Our goal is to see it grow stronger, freer, and more reflective of a new era—where youth voices matter in shaping the party’s future.”
Whether the proposals gain traction within the party’s top leadership remains uncertain, but the emergence of the Revolutionary Network has already injected fresh debate into conversations about the future of leadership, governance, and intra-party democracy within the NRM.
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