Published on 20/05/2025
The Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, has vowed that her coordinators will undoubtedly be at the NRM Delegates Conference in August after sweeping grassroots victories in the ongoing NRM village and sub-county elections.
Speaking to the coordinators on Tuesday at the ONC headquarters in Kyambogo, Namyalo revealed that ONC-backed candidates secured a commanding majority across the three administrative tiers of village, parish, and sub-county leadership structures—positions critical in determining the NRM’s internal Central Executive Committee (CEC) delegates.
“Out of the 2,160,000 positions from the 72,000 villages, ONC got 1,348,981. These include village chairpersons, vice chairpersons, secretaries, youth, and women league leaders,” Namyalo disclosed, citing figures compiled by her office. “That is the wind we are creating. You people created this storm on the ground.”
At parish level, where Uganda has 10,730 parishes and a total of 321,900 NRM positions, Namyalo said ONC scooped 153,200 positions, including 7,200 parish chairpersons.
She emphasized that ONC’s influence was even more dominant at the sub-county level, where political competition was most intense. “We have 2,191 sub counties and municipalities. Out of 65,730 total positions at this level, ONC scooped 28,981,” she stated, adding, “And out of the 2,191 subcounty chairperson positions, ONC alone got 1,680. That’s fire on the ground.”
Namyalo also popular as the Chief Muzzukulu, credited the success to “small facilitation” from President Museveni, saying, “Whatever small facilitation that the President delivered to you… has become a success.”
The SPA also addressed claims circulating in NRM circles that ONC’s newly elected officials would be sidelined from the upcoming NRM Delegates Conference. “People have been saying ONC won’t be allowed to take part. But we have the biggest number of delegates. You can stop Namyalo, but you’re not going to stop my delegates because they are already in the structure. They are voters on the ground,” she declared.
Namyalo also took a scathing attack on NRM electoral officers allegedly working with Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and District Internal Security Officers (DISOs) to frustrate ONC-aligned candidates. “We know the tricks,” she said, adding that her team will, by all means, be at the conference later this year at Namboole.
She also declared that the “10-member voter protection teams in every village are also ready and stand on alert to face off with Bobi Wine’s foot soldiers in 2026.”
With district-level elections slated for next week, Namyalo urged all ONC-aligned winners to continue participating actively, framing their involvement as a defense of President Museveni’s legacy. “That’s it for us. That’s our Museveni years. We are settling for the best, not for less. We, the Bazzukulu, are demanding our Jajja to stay forever.”
Hajjat’s remarks come at a time when internal generational tensions are intensifying within the NRM. Youth-backed candidates across the country have performed strongly, defeating older elites and signaling a potential power shift in the ruling party’s internal structure.
Political analysts strongly believe that his wave could reshape the Central Executive Committee and potentially reposition the NRM’s strategy ahead of the 2026 general elections.
