Are delegates on sale, and is there real profit at CEC?

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OPINION

By Michael Woira

For many years, I never really paid close attention to CEC or the NRM Delegates Conference matters. But this time round, I have given it my full attention, and in the process, I have found myself asking many questions.

I recently engaged with one of the candidates, who also happens to be my mentor and coach. He contested for the position of Member of Parliament for the elderly in the Eastern region, and during our conversation, he took me through some ideological lessons about his vision and what he is aiming at. I am not an elder myself, but I could clearly see that he has a well-thought-out plan for the elderly, which I found quite inspiring.

However, the day I decided to appear at the ICT hub, where the accreditation was taking place, I could not help but wonder about what was going on.

So many people from all walks of life showed up at the centre for accreditation, the elderly, the youth, women, PWDs, workers, the whole place was flooded with yellow. Being a mass party, this wasn’t entirely surprising. Yet, I noticed that several people seemed unsure about where to go for accreditation or where to get assistance. At times, it felt like there wasn’t a clear plan for groups like the elderly and PWDs, who were just wandering around.

But the issue I want to reflect on today is deeper. Why does it feel like a “do or die” struggle to get to CEC or other positions? Are there business interests tied to these roles? Are these positions seen as the only path to opportunities or survival? It’s troubling to see how politics can sometimes push people to become bitter with each other, attacking and insulting friends, even acting as if they’ve never known one another.

During these elections, I witnessed friends hurling insults at each other, one who could deliver flowers to a colleague on their birthday calling them “not working hard enough,” another dismissing someone as “new in the field,” while others openly labelled fellow party members as “thieves.” It surprised me that this is what we call democracy: a system where people from the same party attack, abuse, insult, and even harm one another. This is not the democracy we should be celebrating.

I also saw the financial side of this reality. People spent significant amounts to influence delegates, sometimes as if trying to buy their loyalty. While some of us struggle to gather as little as one million shillings, others are spending millions to hire abusers or bloggers to attack their opponents, even when those opponents are fellow party members.

The other day, I heard that a member even ferried delegates to another country, and I was told that many other delegates had been hidden and only surfaced during the elections in Kololo. Tufaki naye… it made me wonder, what is it about CEC positions that some of us are not seeing? The level of spending and effort has really made me ask myself serious questions.

I had thought that, as party members, there are moments when we could simply sit together and agree. If five of us are vying for the same position, why not agree that one takes the day? Why must we always contest, fight, and create divisions among party members?

I saw clear divisions even among delegates from the same district. Each supported a different candidate, travelling to Kampala in vans hired by their respective candidates, sleeping in accommodation arranged by their candidates, and eating food brought by their candidates, yet all these delegates are supposed to be on the same committee back in their districts. One person ends up creating separation among people who have lived together in the same village or town for years.

It is truly painful to witness politics unfolding in this manner. At Kololo, I saw the youth organised in several groups, almost like cults, each group hurling insults at the other. By now, you all know what happened during the elections. I also noticed that every BIG PERSON in government seems to have someone they support, which makes it extremely challenging for the organisers, as conflicting orders come from different directions. All this effort, all these divisions, for what?

By the time of the elections, votes were being bought at very high prices, and even elders were asking for money. I remember an interview where Matembe reflected that she lost her election because she never imagined that elders would ask for money in order to vote. She had assumed that elders voted based on issues, but the reality was different; they, too, were asking for financial inducements.

This trend is worrying because it is shaping the next generation of leaders and voters. Young people are learning that politics is about spending money and competing for influence through wealth rather than ideas and service. Changing this trend will not be easy, but if we are serious about building a democratic culture that values integrity, service, and genuine engagement, we must start by reflecting on these patterns and asking ourselves what kind of politics we truly want to promote.

But I have a few questions here. Can’t people just vote based on issues? Do we always have to ask for or be offered money to vote for people who are genuinely ready to represent us? I mean those whose intentions are purely good and who truly want to serve.

And to you politicians, must it always come down to using money to lure voters, hiding delegates, or behaving in ways that create division just to win? Is there something in politics that the rest of us don’t know, something that makes these actions necessary? It seems politics has become a highly sought-after career, perhaps because of the attractive salaries and luxurious benefits attached to these positions.

I also wonder if these benefits are why some people go as far as selling property or taking loans to fund campaigns and “buy” votes, expecting substantial returns once in office. Meanwhile, you find one individual holding seven to ten positions, on CEC, NEC, various committees, and boards, earning from all of them. And then there is the passionate youth, committed to NRM or any party, who has no opportunity to serve or earn, despite their dedication.

My fellow citizens, especially those not in politics, do you also see what I see, or am I wrong? Politics should not be monetised. It should be about service, vision, and genuine representation, not a business where wealth decides influence. I sincerely hope we can begin to reflect on this and reclaim the spirit of democratic service before the final elections early next year.

The writer is a Patriotic Ugandan