By Aggrey Baba
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, has issued a stern warning to politicians who may attempt to meddle with the ongoing update of the party’s membership registers.
He emphasized that those attempting to disrupt the process will face legal consequences.
Phase two of the register update began today, January 29, and will run for four days. Dr. Tanga spoke recently in Najjembe Town Council, Buikwe District, where he addressed the issue of interference by some political figures who may try to manipulate the process.
“Politicians seeking to control the process for their own gain will not be tolerated,” Dr. Tanga stated. “Our staff are here to serve the party, and they take instructions only from the party secretariat.”
He also advised the registrars not to be swayed by political pressures. “Do not allow anyone to intimidate or influence your decisions,” he urged. “If someone claims to be a voter from a particular village but doesn’t belong there, do not register them. If we find out otherwise, there will be consequences.”
Dr. Tanga added that some politicians, angered by registrars’ refusal to bow to their demands, have resorted to tarnishing their reputations by falsely accusing them of being opposition supporters.
“They have worked with us for years, but just because they don’t agree with some leaders, they are now labeled as opposition,” he said, stressing that impartiality is crucial for ensuring a trustworthy register that all party members can accept.
He also shared an incident where a sub-county registrar fell ill, and certain politicians tried to take advantage of the situation to manipulate the process. Dr. Tanga assured that when a registrar is unavailable, a parish registrar will step in to keep the process moving.
Additionally, Dr. Tanga revealed that President M7 has tasked teams with reconciling party members in areas where multiple NRM candidates are planning to run for the same seat in the upcoming 2026 elections. The goal is to prevent internal division and ensure a united front for the party.
“Last elections, we lost Buikwe because we had too many candidates. This was a mistake we must fix,” Dr. Tanga admitted, noting that Buikwe will be one of the focal points for reconciliation efforts.
In preparation for the 2026 elections, NRM plans to hold primaries by July, conduct reconciliation in August, and finalize nominations by September.
Last year, NRM’s nationwide register update led to the registration of 18 million members, a milestone publicly announced by President Museveni. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
