Inside the NRM-CEC battle for Buganda

The clock is ticking, and the air is thick with tension. With less than four months to go before Uganda’s ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), holds its internal elections, the political landscape is buzzing with whispers, strategies, and sleepless nights.

Senior NRM leaders are clutching their seats a little tighter, while a new wave of ambitious contenders is rising, ready to shake the foundations of the party’s hierarchy.

The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political pressure group led by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) is one whose influence is reshaping the game.

Muhoozi’s advice to his loyalists

“If you want power, go for it — but do it within the NRM structures,” Muhoozi said.

And so, the PLU brigade is marching forward, guns blazing, ready to storm the NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s highest decision-making body.

The CEC is not just any committee — it is the nerve centre of the NRM, where the party’s destiny is shaped. Comprising the national chairperson, regional vice-chairpersons, and key party officials, it is a coveted club where power is brokered and futures are decided.

Godfrey Kiwanda, who clinched the Buganda region seat in 2020, is now facing the fight of his political life. Will he survive the PLU onslaught, or will Haruna Kasolo, backed by Muhoozi’s rising star, emerge victorious? Kiwanda, however, is not sweating — at least not publicly.

When reached for comment, he sounded calm, almost dismissive.

“Any NRM member is free to contest for this position. I don’t fear anybody,” he said, his tone relaxed but his words laced with defiance. Yet, behind the scenes, the pressure is mounting. Kiwanda’s flamboyant lifestyle and self-proclaimed title as “the Number Four” in the NRM hierarchy have made him a target, inviting challengers like Kasolo to step forward.

Sources close to the PLU reveal that Muhoozi’s team is laser-focused on securing key CEC positions to steer the NRM in their preferred direction.

“Just watch the space at Namboole stadium in July. We are going to surprise many. At every position, we have a PLU candidate vying for it,” a senior PLU member told New Vision.

But Kiwanda is not the only one feeling the heat.

In western Uganda, information minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi and Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, PLU’s director for mobilisation, are also gearing up for a showdown.

Tough battle

The road to NRM’s CEC is no walk in the park. As PLU gears up to seize key positions, political analysts are warning that their path to victory might be riddled with obstacles.

The NRM’s constitution lays down a strict vetting process for anyone aspiring to contest for CEC positions, and this could prove to be a stumbling block for the PLU’s ambitious plans.

“It’s true, you have to be vetted before you stand for any CEC position,” Kiwanda, the current vice-chairperson for the Buganda region, said.

“You’re given nomination papers only after passing the vetting process. It’s not automatic — you can’t just show up and declare your candidacy. When I contested for the vice chairperson position, we were many, and we all went through vetting. Without this process, any businessman with deep pockets could waltz in and become the national chairperson overnight,” he added.

This rigorous vetting process, analysts argue, might just be the lifeline that saves Kiwanda and other incumbents from the PLU’s political machine. The vetting committees are largely dominated by the NRM’s old guard, many of whom are reluctant to hand over the reins of power to the younger, more ambitious PLU members.

Francis Babu, a veteran politician and senior NRM member, emphasised that serving on the CEC requires more than just ambition.

“To sit on the CEC, you must possess the qualities of a leader who can inspire and guide other leaders. You need the qualities of a Member of Parliament — integrity, honesty, and the ability to make sound decisions,” Babu said.

Katongole vs Uhuru

In the heart of Uganda’s bustling capital Kampala, a political storm is brewing.

While Kasolo’s bid to unseat Kiwanda for the CEC vice-chairperson for Buganda region has captured headlines, another fierce battle is unfolding. Here, Salim Uhuru, the Central division mayor and Kampala Central NRM chairperson, has set his sights on the vice-chairpersonship of Kampala region, vowing to dethrone Singh Katongole, a man who has held the position for a decade.

Uhuru’s audacious move has reignited old rivalries, both within the division offices and the NRM party. Not content with just one role, Uhuru is aiming to juggle multiple positions: vice-chairperson for Kampala region, mayor and party chairperson for Kampala Central. When questioned about his ambitions, Uhuru shrugged off criticism, drawing parallels to President Yoweri Museveni’s multifaceted roles.

“What’s wrong with that?” Uhuru retorted. “I want to serve at CEC, as mayor, and as chairperson of Kampala Central. Even our party chairman, President Museveni, is the head of state and commanderin-chief of the armed forces. I don’t see anything wrong with serving in multiple positions.”

But not everyone is convinced.

Katongole, though tight-lipped about the details, confirmed his intention to seek another term.

This sentiment is not limited to Katongole’s camp. Within PLU, particularly in Kampala Central, there is a growing movement to unseat Uhuru from both his mayoral and party chairperson positions. Cedric Babu has already thrown his hat into the ring for the party chairpersonship, while two PLU members — businessman Patrick Mugisa and Hanipher Mpungu, the current deputy mayor — are preparing to challenge Uhuru for the NRM ticket in July.

Mugisa, a former chairperson of the Kampala Central division land board, did not mince words when criticising Uhuru’s leadership.

“Kampala Central division has not benefited at all under his leadership. He is always fighting with everyone — at the division office and within the NRM party. We need change. We need to provide better services to the people,” Mugisa said.

Mpuungu, who has had a tumultuous relationship with Uhuru, also echoed these sentiments. After being censured last year and later reinstated by the High Court, Mpungu did not hold back in her assessment of Uhuru’s competence.

“I worked with Uhuru as his deputy mayor, but he’s incompetent. There is no progress at the division.

He’s constantly at odds with his councillors and KCCA technical staff. That’s why nothing significant has been achieved in the past five years,” Mpuungu said.

Recently, a High Court’s ruling, delivered by Justice Musa Ssekaana, quashed Mpuungu’s removal, saying due process had not been followed.

A clash of ideas

As the NRM party gears up for its highly anticipated elections at Namboole stadium, a contentious proposal is also stirring up heated debates within its ranks. The idea? To restrict senior leaders from holding multiple positions simultaneously — whether in the party or in government. If endorsed, this would mean, for example, that one could not serve as a vice-chairperson of the NRM while also holding a cabinet minister position.

The proposal, reportedly pushed by members of PLU, has sparked a fierce backlash from some party veterans.

Francis Babu, a former minister and senior NRM member, is among the most vocal critics. For Babu, the proposal is not just impractical — it is undemocratic.

As the battle for control of the NRM’s CEC heats up, political analysts such as Charles Rwomushana, a seasoned political commentator and former Constituent Assembly delegate, argue that while PLU may have the backing of Muhoozi, it is not enough to secure victory.

“For PLU members to win positions within the NRM party, they must work extremely hard,” he said.

The CEC, Rwomushana says, is elected by delegates — a group that requires meticulous mobilisation and grassroots engagement.

“It’s not enough for Kasolo or Mawanda to say they are supporters of Gen. Muhoozi,” he said.

“They must go out and mobilise extensively. For example, if Kasolo wants to replace Kiwanda, why didn’t he campaign for the NRM candidate in the recent byelection? Why didn’t he traverse the slums of Kawempe to show party members that he’s committed to mobilising for the party?” Rwomushana added.

Babu Vs Kigongo

“We are not looking for jobs; we are looking for good leaders. This is the problem we have in Parliament — we have nonstarters.

In the CEC, we want leaders of the party. If you don’t want to appoint someone as a minister because they hold a party position, you’re missing out on good leaders. This proposal is undemocratic, and we won’t accept it,” Babu said.

Babu’s frustration is tangible. He sees the proposal as an attempt to sideline experienced leaders in favour of a new wave of politicians, many of whom are aligned with the PLU.

But Babu is not backing down. In fact, he is doubling down on his commitment to contest for the position of first national vice-chairperson, a role currently held by Moses Kigongo.

“I am contesting for that position, not against anybody,” Babu stated firmly.

“I don’t fear elections. One thing I have learned is that you go into an election to win or lose. I know they might not want to work with me because I tell the truth.

Last time, they told me to pull out of the race. This time, I won’t.”