By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Internal disagreements have erupted within Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, with a faction of youth calling themselves ‘Revivalist Movement’ accusing the leadership of abandoning transparency, accountability, and democratic values, demanding for the restoration of these principles within the party.
Isaac Rukanda, the Team Leader and Chief Commissar of the Revivalist Movement, expressed frustration of millions of NRM youth, alleging that top officials have strayed from the party’s original vision and no longer uphold its values.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda National Theatre on Tuesday (November 19), the group accused the party leadership of failing to organize internal elections which they say violates party constitution.
As a result, the Revivalist Movement has filed a lawsuit against the party, Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, and the Chairman of the Electoral Commission – NRM, Dr. Tanga Odoi, who they accuse of failing to organize internal elections.
“After years of raising concerns internally through letters and petitions, our leaders arrogantly ignored us,” said Rukanda. “We had no choice but to file a legal suit—Civil Case Miscellaneous Cause No. 0230 of 2024—against the NRM party, the Secretary General, and the chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission. This suit specifically addresses their failure to organize internal elections, a violation of both the NRM constitution and Uganda’s constitution.”
Chapter 5, Section 46(1) of the NRM constitution, requires that the party conducts elections of all elected members of NRM organs every five years. However, the Revivalist Movement contends that leaders have exceeded this term without legitimate justification, and they reject the prolonged use of the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse for delaying elections. The NRM last held structural elections in 2016. The youth say leaders have continued to hold offices illegally beyond the stipulated 5-year term which undermines the credibility of the NRM, they argued that delaying structural elections disenfranchise members of their rights to elect leaders to represent them.
The group also challenged the Central Executive Committee’s (CEC) authority to extend the term of office for elected leaders beyond the six-month limit specified in the constitution. They say this is deliberate neglect of responsibility likely to affect the future of NRM’s democratic values.
“Some NRM leaders have also misleadingly told the public that the CEC of the NRM has powers to indefinitely postpone elections ,this is false the CEC after consultations can only extend term of service for only 6 months while the EC of NRM organizes elections,” Rukanda explained.
They are now calling for the immediate resignation of Secretary General Todwong and Dr. Tanga Odoi, citing their alleged failure to uphold the party’s constitutional requirements.
Keith Namara Kyaruzi, the group’s lawyer, stated that the legal suit seeks to address the legitimacy of NRM leaders’ continued tenure and the broader issue of leadership accountability within the NRM. They also want the court to compel the party to organize internal elections without further delay.
The Revivalist Movement insists that restoring democratic practices and accountability is critical to preserving the integrity of the NRM.
