Ex-vice presidents Ssekandi, Bukenya electrify NRM CEC elections

________________

Former Vice Presidents Edward Ssekandi and Prof. Gilbert Bukenya have stirred excitement around the forthcoming National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections by endorsing one of the candidates.

The duo accompanied Microfinance State Minister Haruna Kasolo to the NRM Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala on Thursday (July 3) as he submitted his nomination for the party’s Vice Chairperson seat for the central region.

The seat is currently held by Godfrey Kiwanda, a former MP and minister.

Former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya sharing a light moment with Microfinance State Minister Haruna Kasolo as former Vice President Edward Ssekandi looks on shortly after the nomination of Kasolo to contest for CEC vice chairperson for Central Region.

Kasolo, flanked by the two former Vice-Presidents who arrived flashing thumbs-up signs, told the media that their support spoke volumes about the need to replace Kiwanda, who is also seeking to reclaim his Mityana North MP seat.

He described them as strong NRM pillars in the central region.

“We want a mobiliser and somebody who will fill up that gap. People in the central region are undecided, but there is no person who can persuade them to go to the government side,” he said.

Kasolo promised to strengthen NRM’s political presence in the region and address land grabbing, which he said has been costing the ruling party support.

“Land grabbing is a challenge in this region. So, we must have a leader who is not tainted with land grabbing,” he added.

Kiwanda has previously argued that Buganda is an NRM stronghold and that the party will reclaim seats lost in the 2021 general election.

“Many of those who lost the primaries chose to run as independents. That fragmented our vote,” he told the media last month.

Microfinance State Minister Haruna Kasolo arriving at the NRM Electoral commission offices.

In the last general election, the NRM suffered major setbacks in the central region, where all Cabinet ministers lost their parliamentary seats to opposition candidates, mainly from the newly formed National Unity Platform party.

Ofwono Opondo, the former head of the Uganda Media Centre, stated early last year that between 1996 and 2001, the margin of victory nationwide for NRM and President Yoweri Museveni shrank from 76% to 58.06%.

He noted that the decline had been especially severe in major towns and across districts in Buganda and Busoga.

“In 2021, Museveni didn’t win any district in Buganda, and marginally carried Namayingo, Namutumba and Kaliro in Busoga. Many analysts believe that NRM and Museveni lost these areas not because the opposition had credible alternatives, but rather the growing disaffection on multiple fronts,” Ofwono argued.

In Kampala and Wakiso, the two largest voting blocs, the opposition has gained and outpaced NRM significantly. According to Ofwono, it would be almost miraculous for the NRM to recover there any time soon.

The National Electoral Commission has already indicated that the next general elections will take place between January 12 and February 9, 2026. Candidates for presidential, parliamentary and local government positions are expected to be nominated between June and October 2025.