By Aggrey Baba
Richard Todwong, the NRM Secretary General, has revealed that the ruling party has received an overwhelming number of nominations for its upcoming internal primaries, calling it a clear sign of the party’s popularity and the strength of its grassroots mobilization.
Speaking on Wednesday, at the NRM Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala, Todwong said the party is “overwhelmed” by the sheer number of aspiring candidates seeking to contest for various positions under the party flag ahead of the 2026 general election.
“We’re overwhelmed in the sense that for about 560 positions, we’ve already received over 2,000 candidates so far,” Todwong said. “This means, on average, we are seeing almost two or more people vying for each position.”
The nomination process officially opened on Tuesday and is expected to run for several days as candidates from across the country submit their nomination forms.
A number of big wigs from the NRM (including ministers, current MPs, and district leaders) have already shown up to secure their slots in the race, signaling a heated season ahead.
However, Todwong warned of possible tensions during the campaign period, especially where multiple candidates are competing for the same positions. To counter this, he announced that the party will adopt a system of joint campaigns for all NRM aspirants within the same electoral areas.
“Our campaigns are going to be joint campaigns in order to neutralize friction among the contestants. The time for campaigning will also be regulated so that no candidate campaigns when others are not. We want to avoid chaos and ensure a level playing ground,” Todwong said.
He further urged aspirants to respect the outcome of the primaries once the elections are concluded, warning against the increasing habit of defeated NRM members choosing to run as independents.
“We are going to tell them clearly: if you’re not elected, don’t go independent again to challenge those who have been elected. That undermines party cohesion,” he noted, adding that NRM is a family and they must remain united even after the primaries.
He also revealed that the NRM Secretariat is working closely with security agencies to maintain law and order during the internal campaigns and voting processes.
Security will be deployed where necessary to manage crowds, prevent electoral violence, and ensure that both candidates and supporters adhere to the party’s guidelines and the national laws governing political activities.
The nomination exercise is part of the NRM’s internal roadmap towards the 2026 elections, aimed at identifying party flag bearers at every elective level (from village LC1s to parliamentary seats). The party has promised to uphold transparency, discipline, and internal democracy throughout the process. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
