Tanga Odoi urges NRM leaders to commit to peaceful elections
Odoi warned party leaders against interfering with the election process, saying such actions could incite chaos.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) electoral commission chairman, Dr Tanga Odoi making his remarks. ( Photos by Abdulkarim Ssengendo)
Abdulkarim Ssengendo
Journalist @New Vision
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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) electoral commission chairman, Dr Tanga Odoi, has called on all party members to fully participate in the upcoming internal elections.
He also challenged party leaders at all levels to ensure a peaceful, credible, and successful electoral process.
Odoi warned party leaders against interfering with the election process, saying such actions could incite chaos.
“The official mouthpiece of the electoral commission is the chairman of the electoral commission or any commissioner of the commission. Not everybody should become a spokesperson on electoral matters. I repeat, whether you are a member of SEC or the political high bureau, you must admit the only organ the constitution gives mandate to conduct elections within the party is the NRM electoral commission,” Odoi stated.
He advised candidates to address all election-related grievances through the party's electoral commission. Odoi also noted that his office is aware of hotspots across all regions and that measures are in place to prevent any violence.
He further revealed that party chairman Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is establishing a team of political bishops to address unresolved issues stemming from the 2020 party primaries and the 2021 general elections.
Polly Katwire Karamuzi, the deputy resident city commissioner (RCC) of Mbarara city, said security has been reinforced at all 186 polling stations to ensure a smooth process.
Odoi made the remarks during a press conference held Monday, May 5, 2025, at the NRM offices in Mbarara City.
‘Do not elect the wrong members’
The NRM party is set to elect members to its mainstream structures on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. Positions up for grabs include chairman, vice chairman, secretary publicity, secretary treasury, and secretary finance.
Odoi instructed all electoral officials to ensure there is no malpractice and that non-NRM members are not allowed to participate.
"We request the NRM fraternity to start assembling at 8am up to 10am. During that time, the registrar will be read out to members and names of people will be audited by the village people to audit out the names of people who are not true members of the NRM. Those who will be smuggled into the register should be scrutinised and removed,” Odoi instructed.
He explained that the secretariat has introduced barazas to allow members to audit the registers themselves. These village Barazas will be held at familiar local meeting points.
President Museveni is expected to oversee the process from his home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura district, while his wife, Janet Kataha Museveni, will be at Ireenga village in Ntungamo district.
Regarding the voting sequence, Odoi explained that elections will begin with the party structures and end with Local Councils to avoid disruption.
In cases where a village structure is incomplete due to the absence of candidates, Odoi advised that the electoral commission recommend that those positions be filled during the baraza.
Youth, special interest groups rallied
Odoi urged all party members to heed the President's call to participate.
“Look at the President, champion of Uganda’s peace, going for a structured election for his party. What about you, a member of NRM sitting at home, what business do you have that can make you not go to for your baraza,” he stated.
He emphasised that structured leadership at the grassroots level is essential for effective governance.
“We are doing this in 72,000 villages in Uganda. If we get the 30 leaders in every village, that brings over 2.1 million leaders who are above 18. And if we want to vote for the President, we already have 2.1 million votes. And if we ask them to go with one child, we shall have 4.2 million votes. So, where is the opposition? Can they mash us?” he stated.
Odoi called on leaders to safeguard the party’s achievements, which he said was the party’s only weakness.
He also urged the youth to actively participate in the elections.
Regarding eligibility, he clarified that youth participating in party structure elections should be between 18 and 35 years, while those contesting for the national council must be between 18 and 30 years.
“The party wants to bring everybody, that is why we are doing that,” he stated.
‘We are not going to hand over Uganda to political armatures’
Odoi also used the opportunity to encourage residents in western Uganda to verify their details in the National Electoral Commission register. He stressed the importance of mass voter turnout to prevent the election of “unscrupulous leaders.”
“After NRM primaries, we are going for the general election, and we need to win with a landslide. Uganda cannot be handed over to people who are not ready. We cannot make Uganda an experimental lab for political amateurs where everyone forms a party and says I will win NRM. NRM came from the blood to liberate the country, so we are not just going to play with the vote,” he stated.
“Museveni has led the country for all these years in peace and total development. I come from Tororo, and the Tororo we are living in was not the same.”
He concluded by urging Ugandans to take advantage of the prevailing peace and use their minds to lift themselves out of poverty.