By Anguzu Vincent
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) may have concluded its party primaries, but the storm is far from over. Across the country, the primaries were marred by widespread complaints, ranging from vote rigging, voter intimidation and outright manipulation of results. The legitimacy of several outcomes is being heavily contested by the aspirants who lost, with numerous petitions lodged by aggrieved aspirants who claim the process was neither free nor fair.
Far from that, what is even more alarming is the toxic and acrimonious nature of the campaigns among the contesting camps, which have deeply fractured the party at the grassroots level. In many constituencies, the relationship between winners and losers is irreparably damaged, making unity behind the party flag bearers a distant dream. Those who lost are unlikely to rally behind those they believe were unfairly declared winners. Instead, a surge of independent candidacies looms inevitably, a reality that threatens to split the NRM vote in the upcoming 2026 general elections.
This isn’t just a matter of local-level frustrations. High-profile casualties/loses in the primaries, including several ministers and incumbents, have only deepened the discontent.
In this context, the NRM should brace for a tougher-than-expected general election season. The party must act swiftly to resolve internal grievances, rebuild cohesion, and restore confidence among its supporters. Failure to do so may result in a divided front paving the way for opposition victories or a significant showing from independents, many of whom will be former loyal cadres now turned adversaries.
Unless reconciliatory efforts are prioritized, the general elections may prove to be a battleground not just against opposition forces, but from within the NRM itself.
Anguzu Vincent
Political Commentator
Contemporary Historian
Comments