NRM MPs Attend Whipping Training in Nairobi to Strengthen Parliamentary Coordination

NAIROBI, Kenya — Members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus have attended a training session in Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at strengthening their understanding and practice of parliamentary whipping, party discipline and coordination of legislative business.

The training was attended by NRM Members of Parliament, including Hon. Derrick Orone, the NRM Parliamentary Caucus Publicity Secretary and Member of Parliament for Gogonyo County in Pallisa District.

According to Hon. Orone, the session focused on strengthening party discipline, improving coordination of parliamentary business and enhancing the ability of MPs to effectively mobilise support for government programmes and priorities on the floor of Parliament.

“Today together with my fellow Members of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, we attended a training session for whipping of MPs in Nairobi, Kenya,” Orone said.

He described the training as an opportunity for the legislators to exchange experiences with colleagues from across the region and acquire lessons that could be applied to their parliamentary responsibilities.

The training comes at a time when the NRM Parliamentary Caucus is seeking to strengthen coordination among its members in the 12th Parliament and improve the implementation of government programmes through parliamentary processes.

The NRM officially describes its Parliamentary Caucus as comprising NRM Members of Parliament, with the caucus responsible for considering and adopting common positions on parliamentary business before such matters are debated in the House.

The caucus leadership includes a Chairperson who also serves as Chief Whip, a Vice Chairperson, General Secretary, Publicity Secretary and Treasurer. Orone was elected Publicity Secretary in July 2026 after receiving 165 votes in the caucus elections.

Focus on party discipline and legislative coordination

Whipping is an important component of parliamentary organisation, particularly for political parties with significant representation in the legislature. It involves coordinating members around parliamentary business, ensuring that legislators are informed about party positions and facilitating orderly participation in debates and voting.

For the NRM Caucus, the training is expected to reinforce mechanisms for communication and coordination between party leadership, MPs and government institutions.

The caucus has already adopted resolutions relating to discipline, government programmes, accountability, the Parish Development Model, regional integration and other policy priorities. In August, the caucus also resolved to work with independent MPs who had entered into cooperation arrangements with the NRM.

More than 60 independent MPs signed a cooperation agreement with the NRM in August, allowing them to participate in NRM Parliamentary Caucus meetings and cooperate on government business while retaining their status as independent legislators.

Orone pledges to apply lessons

Orone said the Nairobi training provided an opportunity for the Ugandan legislators to learn from parliamentary experiences within the region and strengthen their effectiveness in Parliament.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to share experiences with colleagues from the region and to bring back lessons that will improve our work in Parliament and service delivery to the people,” he said.

The legislator said the knowledge gained would be useful in improving the way MPs coordinate legislative business and translate parliamentary work into programmes and policies that benefit citizens.

His comments underline the caucus leadership's emphasis on linking parliamentary coordination with service delivery at constituency and national levels.

Orone, who recently assumed the position of NRM Parliamentary Caucus Publicity Secretary, has previously emphasised the need for the caucus to communicate its resolutions and ensure that MPs translate agreed priorities into practical action.

The Nairobi training therefore forms part of broader efforts by the NRM Parliamentary Caucus to build the capacity of its legislators, strengthen internal coordination and improve the execution of its parliamentary responsibilities during the 12th Parliament.