Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has called on National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament to uphold integrity, strengthen internal democracy and intensify the fight against corruption as the ruling party’s Parliamentary Caucus adopted resolutions aimed at reinforcing party cohesion and supporting the implementation of the NRM manifesto.
The resolutions were reached during a caucus meeting held at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Friday, attended by NRM legislators, Cabinet ministers, members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the NRM Secretariat and the NRM Electoral Commission.
Addressing the legislators, the NRM National Chairman congratulated MPs on their election victories and commended the party’s performance in the recently concluded Village Women Council and Local Council I Chairperson elections.
However, President Museveni acknowledged shortcomings in the party’s primary elections, saying reforms were needed to preserve unity and ensure committed party members are not disadvantaged.
“We still need to sort out the issue of integrity, especially in the conduct of our party primaries. When committed members lose in the primaries but go on to win overwhelmingly as independents, we must ask ourselves what happened in the primary election,” Museveni said.
He said the party leadership would engage legislators to identify lasting solutions that strengthen internal democracy while retaining experienced cadres within the NRM.
The President also highlighted challenges facing the country’s public health sector, particularly shortages of medicines and health workers, revealing that he would table proposals before Cabinet aimed at improving service delivery.
He urged greater emphasis on preventive healthcare, especially in combating diseases associated with poor sanitation and aflatoxin contamination.
On corruption, Museveni described graft as one of the biggest threats to Uganda’s development agenda. “Corruption weakens government institutions just as diseases weaken the human body. It diverts resources meant for development and creates resentment among the people,” he said.
The President further warned that corruption was discouraging investment, citing reports of investors abandoning Uganda for neighbouring countries after facing extortion and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He specifically pointed to irregularities in the allocation of land within industrial parks and pledged decisive government action to eliminate practices that undermine industrialisation and job creation.
NRM celebrates grassroots victories
Representing NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, Deputy Secretary General Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko briefed the caucus on the party’s recent electoral performance, saying the NRM had further consolidated its political dominance across the country.
She cited victories in the Kikuube District LCV Chairperson by-election and the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament by-election as evidence of sustained public confidence in the ruling party.
Namayanja also highlighted the party’s performance in the recently concluded Village Women Council and LCI Chairperson elections.
“The National Resistance Movement participated actively throughout the country and registered an overwhelming victory, reaffirming the confidence and trust that Ugandans continue to place in the leadership and policies of the National Resistance Movement,” she said.
According to preliminary results presented to the caucus, the NRM won 71.9 per cent of the LCI Chairperson elections by securing 51,093 villages, while the party captured 91.6 per cent of Village Women Council positions nationwide.
She nevertheless acknowledged challenges encountered during the electoral process, including inadequate civic education, isolated cases of electoral malpractice, internal competition among party members and attempted voter bribery.
Namayanja called for continuous voter education, stronger enforcement against electoral offences and sustained reconciliation among party members following competitive primaries.
Caucus adopts key resolutions
Government Chief Whip Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng later presented resolutions that were unanimously adopted by the caucus.
Among them was a commitment to formally work with Independent Members of Parliament who have signed cooperation agreements with the NRM Parliamentary Caucus to support government business in Parliament.
The caucus also resolved to intensify the fight against corruption, strengthen integrity within the party’s electoral processes, support implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), promote value addition and regional integration, and continue backing strategic government investments in defence, security, infrastructure, health, education and irrigation.
The resolutions come as the ruling party prepares for the implementation of its 2026–2031 manifesto and seeks to strengthen cohesion within its parliamentary ranks ahead of key legislative business.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
