NRM electoral malpractices probe: CID top officers review progress

KAMPALA - The top officers of the Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) have reviewed progress in ongoing criminal investigations into malpractices that marred the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries.

The quarterly review meeting for all regional CID commanders on August 1, 2025, at their headquarters in Kibuli, Kampala city, was chaired by CID director Assistant Inspector General of Police Tom Magambo.

“The meeting focused on assessing the progress of ongoing operations aimed at combating crime across the country and strengthening strategic efforts to enhance public safety,” the CID said in a brief statement.

New Vision Online also learnt that the purpose of the meeting was to review ongoing operations on political and electoral offences, review progress in general criminality fight across the country, and strengthen co-ordination efforts with all stakeholders in security and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as well as the general public.

“The meeting took place against a background of the President’s directive on dealing with those who were involved in crime during the NRM primaries,” one of the top officers said.

Anti-crime actions

The NRM leadership under President Yoweri Museveni recently took “anti-crime actions against the mistake-makers” in the party primaries for MPs that took place on July 17.

At least 333 suspects, including party district registrars, have so been arrested and over 48 of them charged in court.

According to the President, the suspects are facing prosecution in connection with mainly altering the results.

He said on July 25 that the operation against the “other mistake-makers” such as those who bribed voters, used violence, and tampered with the registers, was continuing.

He stated that over 9.22 million members of the NRM participated in the primaries, supporting different candidates.

The President, who is also the NRM national chairperson, later constituted a committee of what he called powerful lawyers to handle the petitions. “We shall clean up the NRM as we also defend the wider interests of all the Ugandans,” he vowed.

The election disputes tribunal, which is chaired by John Musiime, received at least 380 petitions. It commenced the hearings of the disputes on July 29 at the party's legal offices in Nakasero, Kampala.