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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is set to conduct another round of primary elections tomorrow, Thursday, July 24, 2025, across all villages nationwide.
This upcoming exercise will determine candidates for district chairpersons, municipal mayors, city mayors, district councillors, and city councillors.
It unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tension following widespread disturbances and alleged malpractices that marred the party's parliamentary primaries held just last week.
The NRM leadership is keen to ensure a smoother process this time, as outlined by Secretary General Richard Todwong.
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Richard Todwong
Strict Procedures for Tomorrow’s Vote
Richard Todwong, the party Secretary General, outlined the guidelines for tomorrow's polls.
All eligible party members are required to convene at their respective village polling venues by 10 am, where names will be read aloud to confirm attendance against the NRM village register.
Voting is scheduled to take place between 12 noon and 2 pm, utilising the party's unique "lining up" method, where voters queue behind posters or agents of their preferred candidates.
Only registered NRM members are eligible to vote, and proxy voting is strictly prohibited, a measure likely intended to curb potential manipulation.
Following the voting, presiding officers are mandated to publicly announce the results and issue Declaration of Results forms, which must be duly signed by all candidates' agents.
Each agent will also receive a copy of these results. The final tallying and announcement of results will then be conducted at the district level.
Lingering Shadow of Past Violence and Malpractice
The procedures outlined by the NRM leadership stand in stark contrast to the chaotic scenes witnessed during the parliamentary primaries on July 17, 2025.
Those elections were marred by widespread violence and allegations of electoral malpractices, leading to hundreds of arrests across the country, as confirmed by a police statement.
While major urban centres like Kampala City, Wakiso, Mbale, Mbarara, and Soroti reportedly experienced largely calm voting, numerous isolated incidents of violence and electoral misconduct were reported elsewhere.
The Uganda Police Force, supported by other security agencies, had deployed nationwide for the previous exercise, yet still struggled to contain all incidents.