KAMPALA, Uganda — The ruling National Resistance Movement party has halted elections for its Entrepreneurs League, citing widespread anomalies. The decision was announced after one of the candidates withdrew from the race, alleging widespread irregularities that he said had compromised the credibility of the election.
NRM director of communication, Emmanuel Dombo, said over the weekend that the party’s top organs would intervene if the issue escalates.
Earlier, one of the candidates, only identified as Tana in the story, withdrew from the race, citing widespread irregularities. In a letter to the NRM secretary general, Tana said the process had been “fatally compromised” by malpractice and the deliberate inaccessibility of the voter base.
“Together with fellow candidates, I first submitted a joint petition on Aug. 17, later raised the same concerns before CEC during vetting on Aug. 21, and again through my formal letter of Aug. 23 to your office,” Tana wrote.
He added that he had highlighted “grave irregularities,” including the bribery and ferrying of voters and the fact that the majority of the voters were inaccessible because they were scattered in hotels and denied to candidates for lawful engagement.
Tana said despite his repeated petitions, no corrective action or guidance had been provided by the party leadership. “Regrettably, despite these efforts, the violations have persisted,” he wrote. “The credibility of the election has, therefore, been fatally compromised.”
He concluded his letter by stating that he remains a loyal party member and hopes the leadership will reflect on his concerns to strengthen the integrity of the party’s internal democratic processes.
Before the boycott, the NRM Electoral Commission had notified delegates that elections would be conducted by a show of hands after a delegate’s name had been read from the party register and verified. The elections were also supposed to take place at eight venues within the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to avoid any confusion.
However, a commotion within the Entrepreneurs League erupted and plunged the entire process into disarray. But other elections for different leagues, including Women, Youth, Persons With Disabilities, Veterans, Elders, and Workers, proceeded as planned.
The delay in the Entrepreneurs League elections could affect the upcoming Central Executive Committee elections, which were scheduled to take place this week.
The Entrepreneurs League chairperson race had attracted eight contenders, including businessmen Hassan Basajjabalaba and King Ceasor Mulenga. Other contenders were Phillip Kakuru Kwijuka, Shukla Mukesh, Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari, Edison Ruyondo and Ssemwanga Gyaviira.
