NRM leaders sued over alleged failure to hold internal elections

A dispute has erupted within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party after a section of members filed a lawsuit against their leaders, alleging failure to hold internal elections, a critical requirement under both the NRM Constitution and the Ugandan Constitution.

Civil Case Miscellaneous Cause No. 0230 of 2024, seen by KFM, was filed by members under the umbrella group “Revivalist Movement Representative.” The lawsuit names the NRM party, its Secretary-General, and the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission as respondents.

Addressing a press conference in Kampala on Tuesday, Isaac Rukanda, the leader of the Revivalist Movement, stated that internal elections are fundamental to NRM’s democratic framework.

However, the party last conducted internal elections in 2016. The Revivalist Movement argues that this prolonged delay has resulted in leaders remaining in office illegally, as their terms expired in 2020.

This, they say, undermines the party’s credibility as a democratic institution.

The NRM Constitution stipulates that elected officials serve a five-year term, with the possibility of re-election. Similarly, Article 71(c) of the Ugandan Constitution mandates political parties to uphold democratic principles in their internal organization.

The Revivalist Movement contends that the NRM leadership’s failure to hold elections violates its constitutional obligations and damages the party’s democratic integrity.

Initially, NRM leaders blamed the delay on the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Revivalist Movement has dismissed this justification, highlighting that Uganda successfully held presidential and parliamentary elections, as well as nine by-elections, during the same period.

Written by Moses Ndhaye