NRM Cadres Petition Museveni Over Speaker, Deputy Speaker Selection Process

By Gad Masereka

A group of cadres affiliated with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, seeking a review of the internal process used to identify the party’s candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament.

The petition, submitted by members operating under the NRM Revolutionary Network, was delivered in a letter dated March 9, 2026 and addressed to Museveni in his capacity as the party’s national chairman.

The cadres argue that reports suggesting the endorsement of the incumbent leadership for the two top parliamentary positions may have emerged before the party completed key internal procedures required for such nominations.

According to the petitioners, their concerns are not directed at the individuals currently holding the positions but at the need to safeguard what they describe as the procedural integrity of the party’s leadership selection system. In their letter, the cadres stressed that the Movement’s founding principles emphasise institutional order and participatory decision making rather than informal arrangements.

“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 explained that the party’s established procedures require several stages to be completed before official candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker can be endorsed. These include the gazettement of Special Interest Group representatives to Parliament, the formal constitution of the full NRM Parliamentary Caucus and the submission of expressions of interest by eligible Members of Parliament.

Only after those steps, they argue, should the caucus convene to nominate and elect the party’s official flag bearers for the two positions in Parliament. The petitioners say this framework ensures that leadership decisions reflect the collective will of party members and uphold the Movement’s internal democratic traditions.

In their appeal, the cadres also referenced the broader constitutional framework of the country. They cited the preamble of the Constitution of Uganda 1995, which underscores democratic participation, equal opportunity in leadership and accountability in governance.

They further pointed to provisions within the party’s internal regulations, including the NRM Parliamentary Caucus Rules of Procedure 2014, which outline how the ruling party is expected to identify candidates for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker through structured caucus processes.

The petition therefore calls upon Museveni to guide the party in revisiting the process to ensure that all required procedures are followed before final endorsement of candidates.

“It is 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 states.

The petition was formally received at the party secretariat by the NRM Electoral Commission and the Directorate of Legal Services, according to individuals familiar with the submission.

The development comes at a time when internal discussions within the ruling party are intensifying over how leadership positions in Parliament should be determined ahead of the next parliamentary cycle. Political analysts say such debates often reflect broader efforts within the party to balance internal democracy with the need for unity as it prepares for future legislative leadership contests.

For the petitioning cadres, however, the central issue remains the preservation of the Movement’s procedural discipline. They argue that adherence to established systems not only strengthens confidence among party members but also reinforces the institutional culture that has defined the NRM since its founding.