đˇ NRM delays youth polls after Basajjabalaba supporters turn rowdy
Angry supporters claiming to be Basajjabalaba's entered the voting arena at about 5:40pm after the polls for women's league leaders had closed during the conference of special interest groups.Â
On August 25, 2025, Tanga suspended the elections until further notice, basing his decision upon the advice of the President. (Photos by Miriam Namutebi)
By New Vision Journalist
Journalists @New Vision
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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party delayed youth polls on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, evening after suspected supporters of businessman Al-Haji Hassan Basajjabalaba turned rowdy at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala city.
Angry supporters claiming to be Basajjabalaba's entered the voting arena at about 5:40pm after the polls for women's league leaders had closed during the conference of special interest groups.
They then caused a commotion for about an hour as they demanded that the election of the chairperson of the party's Entrepreneurs’ League should be held before that of the youth.
This forced party electoral commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi to ask the security officers to "push them out", saying it was time for the youth polls.
"Today is for the youth, and this is the ground for them. We shall not postpone youth elections again. Security, please, take over this space and push them out," he orders as the Police and other security officers surrounded the group.
Tanga said the President, who is also the party national chairperson, was the one to handle the issue of the Entrepreneurs League polls.
"I have told you that the case (of Entrepreneurs League elections) is with the party chairperson. That will not change," he said.
However, the angry supporters, who were mostly youth, held their ground in front of the security officers who shoved them out of the voting area.
As they were being shoved out, Tanga asked his staff to move to another tent, where they held a meeting for over an hour to decide a way forward.
At about 7:50pm, they returned to the voting arena and Tanga took to the microphone again, ordering "all the hired goons to leave peacefully".
"There are no special candidates. So, anyone who has hired goons to cause havoc, allow them to go peacefully now," he said.
The youth voters were organised at about 8:30pm to go to the polls.
The position of the Entrepreneurs League is currently held by Mbarara City North MP Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari, who pulled out of the race.
The race attracted eight candidates, but the main battle is between Basajjabalaba and the honorary consul of Vietnam to Uganda, King Augustus Ceasor Mulenga.
Basajjabalaba, who wants to reclaim the seat of the chairperson of the Entrepreneurs’ League, said his extensive experience as a seasoned businessman makes him well-suited for the role.
On August 25, 2025, Tanga suspended the elections until further notice, basing his decision upon the advice of the President.
This was after the supporters of the two main candidates turned chaotic amid allegations of gross irregularities.
