NRM Cadres Write To Museveni Seeking Review Of Speaker, Deputy Speaker Selection Process

By Frank Kamuntu

A group of cadres under the NRM Revolutionary Network (NRN) has petitioned Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), raising concerns about the procedure used to identify the party’s candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament.

In a letter dated March 9, 2026 and addressed to the President, cadres argue that the reported endorsement of the incumbent Speaker and Deputy Speaker as official party candidates may have occurred before key internal procedures were completed.

The petitioners, who describe themselves as committed members of the ruling party, say their concern is not directed at the individuals occupying the positions but rather at the “procedural integrity” of the process through which the Movement identifies candidates for such constitutional offices.

“We remain deeply invested in safeguarding the ideological integrity, institutional discipline and democratic character of the Movement you founded and have guided for decades,” the letter states.

The cadres argue that several procedural stages should precede any official endorsement. These include the gazettement of Special Interest Group representatives to Parliament, the formal constitution of the full NRM Parliamentary Caucus, submission of expressions of interest by eligible Members of Parliament, and the convening of the caucus to nominate and elect the party’s official candidates.

According to the petitioners, these steps are essential safeguards meant to ensure that leadership selection within the party reflects the “participatory and institutional work ethic of the NRM revolution.”

They further cite the party’s ideological foundation, arguing that since its inception the NRM prioritised systems over personalities and institutional order over political convenience.

The cadres also reference Uganda’s constitutional framework, noting that the preamble to the 1995 Constitution emphasises democratic participation, equal opportunity in leadership and accountable governance.

Similarly, they point to provisions within the NRM Constitution and the NRM Parliamentary Caucus Rules of Procedure (2014), which outline mechanisms for identifying party candidates for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker through structured internal processes.

The petitioners have therefore appealed to Mr Museveni to ensure that the process for identifying the party’s candidates for the two top parliamentary positions is revisited to guarantee full adherence to the Movement’s established procedures.

“It is therefore our humble appeal that the process concerning the identification of NRM candidates for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament be revisited,” the letter reads.

They argue that reviewing the process would strengthen confidence among party cadres and reaffirm the NRM’s commitment to transparent, orderly and participatory leadership processes.

The petition was received by the NRM Electoral Commission and the Directorate of Legal Services at the party secretariat.

The development comes amid growing internal debate within the ruling party over how leadership positions in Parliament should be determined ahead of the next parliamentary sitting.