Withdrawn Petitions, Waning Trust: Inside the Fallout of the NRM Primaries

The recent withdrawal of several petitions from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries has sparked debate over the integrity of internal party elections and the broader health of Uganda’s democratic processes.

According to Dr. Sarah Bireete, a prominent governance analyst, the withdrawal of these petitions could point to a deeper crisis of confidence.

“It means that either people have lost trust in the process or they no longer believe that pursuing justice within party structures will yield results,” she said.

Bireete added that some candidates may have chosen to concede defeat quietly, or taken an alternative route by opting to run as independents in the upcoming general elections. But beneath these choices lies a persistent concern about the fairness of internal political mechanisms.

She also raised concerns about the capture of the legal profession by political interests.

“Majority of the big lawyers in the country associate with the regime; whether they believe in it or not is another matter—maybe for business or reasons best known to them,” she remarked.

The use of money and patronage in Ugandan politics has not only affected political parties but has reportedly seeped into other sectors, including education.

“We need to ensure that elections in this country have integrity—including those in schools. The disease of using money has eaten up our schools too,” Bireete cautioned.

Meanwhile, James Kaberuka, one of the NRM party members, expressed faith in the internal dispute resolution mechanisms.

“I have faith in the NRM Elections Tribunal; it will do its work,” he stated, while also thanking President Yoweri Museveni for stepping in to calm tensions during the primaries.

Kaberuka acknowledged that frustration among candidates had, at times, been directed at former NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, Tanga Odoi.

“There are many people who were looking at Tanga Odoi as the cause of their loss in the NRM primaries, which further underscores the importance of the tribunal,” he said.

But perhaps the most sobering insight came from his reflection on the current state of political participation:

“Some people are finding politics to be just a job, which is very unfortunate.”