Hajjat Namyalo Urges Bazzukulu To Vote, Cautions EC On Malpractice

KAMPALA – The Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, has called upon Ugandans, particularly the youth (Bazzukulu) to actively participate in tomorrow’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) LCV Chairperson and Division Chairperson elections.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon at the ONC offices in Kyambogo, Namyalo emphasized the importance of citizen participation in the democratic process and urged Ugandans to turn up in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.

“Leadership belongs to the people. When someone is elected peacefully and fairly, don’t alter the outcome because someone has paid you. Let the people’s voices be respected,” Namyalo stated firmly.

She further appealed to the NRM Electoral Commission officials to conduct the elections with integrity and impartiality, warning them against engaging in any form of malpractice.

“I have received reports that in some areas, certain EC officials are said to be acting on instructions from ‘above’. I personally spoke to the President about these allegations and he denied issuing any such directives. He is very clear on ensuring transparency in our party processes,” Namyalo said.

In her address, Namyalo also cautioned security personnel to maintain law and order while allowing Ugandans to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

She warned that any individuals or groups found tampering with election results or engaging in voter intimidation would face legal consequences.

“Anyone who attempts to alter results or cause chaos will be dealt with according to the law. This is not the time for games; it’s a time to build democracy,” she warned.

Her comments come in the wake of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s public condemnation of electoral malpractice during the recently concluded NRM primaries. In a statement released on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle and shared across NRM platforms, the President expressed both appreciation and concern.

“Our sources confirm that 9.22 million party members participated in the primaries, representing about 50% of our total membership of 18.5 million confirmed on May 6, 2025,” Museveni noted, describing the turnout as satisfactory given the logistical challenges of conducting primaries on a weekday.

However, the President voiced grave concern over multiple reports of irregularities in the electoral process.

“I must condemn, in the strongest terms, what I started hearing in some areas where some unpatriotic actors are alleged to have committed mistakes, including: altering results, tampering with registers, using violence that caused deaths and injuries, and bribing voters,” he said.

He emphasized that such conduct not only undermines the party’s core democratic values but also threatens national cohesion and the credibility of leadership institutions. The President revealed that investigations are already underway and that the culprits, particularly those who altered results, will be prosecuted.

Museveni also reiterated the philosophical foundation behind leadership elections, stressing that leaders are entrusted with solving the omukyeno, the solvable problems, facing the people.

“Leadership is not for decoration. It is for addressing issues that can be changed or improved. Those who want to lead must be ready to solve problems and not create more,” the President said.

Tomorrow’s pols are expected to be closely watched, following heightened scrutiny after the July 17 Parliamentary primaries.