By Frank Kamuntu
The Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, spent the day traversing various parts of Kampala to monitor the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Local Council primaries. Her visit came amid mixed reports of calm, chaos, and alleged electoral malpractice across different polling stations.
Namyalo, who is overseeing the exercise on behalf of the NRM National Chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, began her monitoring tour at Musajja-Alumbwa Polling Station in Mengo-Kisenyi. The process initially unfolded peacefully; however, tensions flared shortly after the announcement of results.
Supporters of candidate Kahooza Mary, who lost to her rival Bahati, rejected the outcome, accusing electoral officials of manipulating the results and citing alleged “orders from above.” The protests sparked brief disorder, prompting Namyalo to intervene.
Addressing the aggrieved parties, she emphasized the need to resolve disputes through official party channels.
“We cannot build unity through chaos. If anyone has evidence of malpractice, let them present it to the NRM Electoral Commission for review. No one is above party procedures,” she said, urging calm and discipline.
From Mengo, the ONC Chief proceeded to Kamwokya, where she uncovered serious irregularities.
At the Kamwokya Market Area Police Post, Namyalo reportedly found NRM Electoral Commission officials fraudulently filling in Declaration of Results (DR) forms in favor of certain candidates—without the presence of agents from all contesting sides.
“What we found in Kamwokya is completely unacceptable. Votes were being traded, and shockingly, some Uganda Police officers were reportedly involved in facilitating this malpractice. This undermines the spirit of democracy and betrays the trust President Museveni has placed in this process,” she stated.
Namyalo reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring free and fair internal elections within the party, warning that individuals found flouting party electoral guidelines would face serious consequences.
She later visited Kiwunya Zone in Nakulabye, where she found a peaceful and orderly polling exercise.
Her next stop was at the NRM Electoral Commission offices in Wakiso, where she issued a fresh call for electoral officers to maintain neutrality and uphold professionalism.
“This is a clear warning: those involved in voter bribery, intimidation, or tampering with results will face both legal and disciplinary action. The NRM must remain a beacon of internal democracy,” she said.
Namyalo concluded her oversight tour at the Nakasero Central Tally Centre, where she assessed the vote compilation process and urged officials to ensure transparency in the declaration of results.
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