NRM South African Chapter to convene on voting rights, trade matters

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party's South African Chapter is scheduled to hold a pivotal meeting from September 27-28, 2024, addressing key concerns for Ugandans living in South Africa.

The gathering is expected to bring together NRM members and supporters to discuss issues including voting rights and trade relations.

Hosted by Uganda’s high commissioner to Southern Africa, Paul Amoru, the two-day conference themed: Social Economic Transformation and Navigating through Trade on the African Continent, is expected to be officiated by NRM chairperson President Yoweri Museveni.

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Ambassador Abbey Walusimbi, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs, says the conference will ensure that Ugandans in the diaspora can exercise their voting rights as the 2026 general elections approach.

“Although Article 59 of the Constitution provides for the right to vote, the provision requires the state to take all necessary steps to ensure that all citizens qualified to vote register and exercise their right to vote,” he said.

Parliament had enacted several laws safeguarding Ugandans' voting rights at different levels, including the Presidential Elections Act (2005), the Parliamentary Elections Act (2005), and the Local Governments Act (1997).

Uganda has also ratified international and regional human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which affirm the right to vote, including for prisoners.

In 2020, High Court Judge Lydia Mugambe ordered the Electoral Commission to ensure that Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners can participate in the 2026 elections.

The Electoral Commission has since complied, with efforts underway to include these groups in the voting process, following a successful petition by Lawyer Steven Kalali.

Isma Luzige, National Chairman of the NRM Southern Africa Chapter, noted that the symposium would cover a range of topics, including the digital economy, mining, education, and the health sector.

Representatives from various Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are expected to participate.

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“The symposium will also focus on visa-free entry, open borders for business, and diaspora voting, targeting the over one million Ugandans in Southern Africa,” Luzige said.

He also highlighted that South Africa is a key trade partner for Uganda, contributing significantly to Uganda's GDP and trade balance.

“The symposium will include participants from various political parties across Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa, including the African National Congress (ANC) and the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party,” Amoru says.

As of January 2024, Uganda had received sh5.5 trillion in remittances from the diaspora, according to Amoru.

The briefing on Wednesday was attended by senior presidential advisors Amb. Ahmed Kisuule and Vincent Ssempijja.

Many Ugandans living in South Africa have voiced challenges in exercising their right to vote in Ugandan elections.

“The meeting will provide a platform for our members to air their views and concerns about voting rights,” Walusimbi stated.

“We want to ensure that every Ugandan living in South Africa has the opportunity to participate in our country’s democratic processes.”

In addition to voting rights, the meeting will also address trade matters between Uganda and South Africa, which has a significant trade relationship, with South Africa being one of Uganda's largest trading partners.

“We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the issues that affect them and that they have a voice in our party's decision-making processes,” Luzige added.

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The NRM South African Chapter has actively promoted the interests of Ugandans living in South Africa, organizing events and activities to promote Ugandan culture, trade, and investment.

Visa entry remains a challenge

In March last year, President Museveni, during a visit to Johnny Makhathini Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, South Africa, assured Ugandan investors that the South African government would address the issue of entry visas, a critical requirement for doing business.

“On the issue of visas, I am confident the South African government will resolve this, as it is impossible to conduct business without multiple entry visas. If I am doing business, I should travel anytime without seeking a new visa every time,” Museveni observed.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the visa issue as “thorny” and pledged to resolve it.

“We will address the thorny issue for Ugandan businesspeople,” Ramaphosa assured.