By BM
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Tribunal has affirmed that its rulings on disputes arising from the party’s recent primary elections are final, with no avenue for appeal beyond the tribunal.
The tribunal was established by the party national chairman, President Yoweri Museveni to provide a structured process for resolving disagreements from the July 2025 primaries.
According to the Tribunal Chairman, John Musiime, the Tribunal Chairperson, so far received a total of 426 petitions since operations began on July 29.
He says that these petitions include challenges related to alleged irregularities, vote rigging, violence, and procedural flaws in constituency-level contests.
As of August 6, the tribunal has issued verdicts for 46 petitions, with decisions communicated directly to successful petitioners via both email and hard copy letters.
Those whose petitions have been dismissed are required to collect their rulings in person at the tribunal’s offices, and they are permitted to do so with legal representation if they choose.
The tribunal leadership has emphasized that its proceedings are designed to be inclusive and efficient.
To ensure broad access and timely resolution, it deliberately opted not to apply formal court procedures.
Instead, a simplified, less technical process has been adopted to enable candidates from various backgrounds to participate effectively.
In addition to overseeing the legal processes, the tribunal is also serving a political function by reinforcing party discipline.
Enock Barata, the NRM Director of Legal reminded aspirants that once a ruling is made, no further legal challenge will be entertained within the party structures.
All subsequent decisions such as whether a candidate will be included on the final ballot will rest solely with the party leadership.
The tribunal’s role is seen as critical to maintaining order within the party as it prepares for the 2026 general elections.
With hundreds of complaints still under review and campaigns already beginning to mobilize at the grassroots, timely resolution of the pending petitions will be key to ensuring party cohesion and public confidence in the NRM’s internal democratic processes.
The high number of petitions reflects both the competitiveness of the primaries and the growing expectation among candidates for transparency and fairness in party structures.
The tribunal is expected to continue issuing rulings in the coming days as it works through the backlog of cases. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
