Politics
Museveni Hails Peaceful NRM Primaries Amid Record Turnout and Anti-Fraud Measures
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has lauded the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for conducting peaceful and largely fraud-free party primaries for Local Council V chairpersons, mayors, and councillors, describing the event as a milestone in the country’s democratic journey.
In a statement released by the Presidential Press Unit (PPU), the President congratulated NRM members and Ugandans at large for their participation and discipline during the intra-party elections held on Thursday, July 24, 2025. According to preliminary reports, approximately 7.95 million NRM members took part in the primaries, despite it being a mid-week, working day exercise.
President Museveni noted that the calm environment that marked this round of voting was largely due to the strong enforcement action taken following the NRM parliamentary primaries held a week earlier, which had been marred by irregularities. As a result, 333 individuals were arrested, with 48 charged in court, including 13 NRM district registrars, most of whom are accused of manipulating results.
“This time, the elections were more peaceful and fraud-free. That is a result of decisive action against those who tried to distort our democratic processes in the previous primaries,” Museveni said.
The President also addressed ongoing public discourse surrounding the use of money in politics. He responded to Hon. Kivumbi, who had accused him of setting a bad example by distributing what he called “brown envelopes.” Museveni clarified that such rewards, known as kurongoora, are acts of appreciation to performers, elderly citizens, and other deserving individuals, not voter bribery.
“Hon. Kivumbi is confusing a token of appreciation with bribery. When I give a reward to traditional dancers in Patongo or support elderly citizens, I do it in my official capacity as President. That is not a campaign tool but recognition for service and culture,” Museveni stated.
He emphasized that this culture of using money for political gain emerged more visibly after the broadening of political participation post-1996, which introduced fundraising, allowances, and the monetization of politics. The President called for a united front in fighting this “mistake” that he said goes against the original vision of the NRM.
“Let us work together to eradicate this mistake. It was never part of our values. We must protect our democratic processes from being hijacked by money,” he urged.
Museveni also took a swipe at those who spread false narratives about his leadership and finances, asserting that he maintains no private foreign accounts and continues to serve Uganda with transparency and integrity.
As the NRM gears up for the 2026 general elections, the successful execution of the recent primaries signals a critical moment in the party’s internal democracy and commitment to restoring confidence in Uganda’s electoral systems.
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