Editorial
A wave of controversy has swept through the National Resistance Movement after a group of legislators, ousted in the July 2025 primaries, claimed President Yoweri Museveni gave his blessing for them to run as independents in the 2026 general elections.
Their claim has, however, been countered by some in the party, who accuse the lawmakers of sowing confusion and threatening the very fabric of NRM unity.
Spearheaded by Kapelebyong County MP Anthony Esenu Alden, the more than 210 incumbent MPs and ministers who lost at the party primaries insist that President Museveni, during a campaign visit to Arua City, allowed them to contest as ‘NRM-leaning independents.
However, Government Chief Whip and NRM Parliamentary Caucus Chairperson, Denis Hamson Obua, dismissed their claims, labeling them as false.
Obua clarified that Museveni’s meeting with the defeated incumbents aimed to reinforce party unity, not encourage rebellion.
He emphasized that defying the party flag could lead to members being deemed to have voluntarily left the NRM.
In a State House statement on October 14, 2025, President Museveni addressed the issue directly, warning that independent candidates risk splitting the NRM vote and handing victories to the opposition. The NRM Electoral Commission reported that 302 aspirants lost in the July 2025 primaries, with over 210 incumbent MPs and ministers planning to run as independents, citing allegations of corruption, intimidation, and vote-rigging