Hon. Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo Urges Unity as NRM Holds Village Barazas to Verify Flag Bearers and Fill Leadership Gaps
NRM National Treasurer, Hon. Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo, said the meetings are a critical component of the party's grassroots electoral roadmap and are intended to verify existing flag bearers while filling leadership gaps that may have emerged ahead of the elections.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has called upon all its members across more than 72,000 villages in Uganda to attend the mandatory village elective Barazas scheduled for Friday, July 10, as the ruling party intensifies preparations for the upcoming Local Council One (LC1) and Women Council elections.
NRM National Treasurer, Hon. Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo, said the meetings are a critical component of the party's grassroots electoral roadmap and are intended to verify existing flag bearers while filling leadership gaps that may have emerged ahead of the elections.
The Barazas will commence at exactly 10:00 a.m. at designated village meeting points across the country.
According to Dr. Tanga Odoi (Chairperson NRM Electoral Commission), the exercise is being facilitated through a Shs5 billion mobilisation fund, which will support activities related to filling leadership positions from the village level up to the national level, including LC1, LC2 and Women Council structures.
Earlier this week , Dr. Tanga Odoi explained that the funds were sourced from money collected during the party's recent expression of interest process for positions in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
"The money being used for this exercise was generated internally by the party through the EALA expression of interest process and will facilitate the filling of gaps in our grassroots leadership structures," he said.
Verification of Flag Bearers
During the village meetings, NRM members will review and verify flag bearers who were elected in 2023 and 2025 to determine whether they are still alive, available and willing to contest in the forthcoming elections.
The exercise will also identify positions that may have fallen vacant due to death, relocation, resignation or withdrawal from the race.
Amb. Nekesa stressed that the village Barazas have the authority to fill any leadership gaps through a democratic village-based voting process.
"In case there is any gap, that Baraza has the mandate to fill that gap. In case it is unfortunate that the flag bearer passed on, this Baraza has to fill that gap with a new person. The voting there will be by lining up within that village. If they don't agree by consensus, they agree by lining behind the candidate," she said.
The party believes the process will strengthen its grassroots structures and ensure that all villages have duly verified and legitimate candidates before the official nomination exercise begins.
Warning Against Commercialisation of Party Flags
The NRM leadership has also cautioned members against engaging in transactional politics, emphasizing that party flags are not for sale.
Party officials warned against attempts by individuals to buy influence or manipulate the electoral process through financial inducements, insisting that leadership positions should be determined by the will of party members.
Members have further been encouraged to verify their details in the national voters' register, which is a requirement for participation in the electoral process.
Electoral Roadmap
Following the village elective Barazas, the party will proceed with the next stages of its electoral calendar as follows:
July 11–14: Endorsement and stamping of candidate forms by the Secretary General.
July 15–19: Official nominations at sub-county level.
July 23: Women Council elections.
July 28: National LC1 polling day.
The party leadership has urged all members to prioritise attendance at the Barazas and avoid distractions that could undermine the success of the grassroots exercise.
The meetings are expected to play a crucial role in consolidating the NRM's village structures and ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process ahead of the LC1 and Women Council elections.
As the ruling party continues preparations for the polls, officials say active participation by members at the village level remains essential in strengthening internal democracy and maintaining the integrity of the party's grassroots leadership structures across the country.
