NRM Treasurer Hon. Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo Announces CEC-Approved Support as Party Intensifies Village Mobilisation

Kampala, Uganda – The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has approved financial support for its grassroots flag bearers ahead of the forthcoming Local Council (LC) and Women Council elections, in a move aimed at strengthening mobilisation efforts and ensuring effective participation in the village-level polls.

The announcement was made by the NRM National Treasurer, Hon. Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo, during a meeting at the NRM Secretariat in Kampala attended by members of the party's Senior Management Team, leaders of the NRM Women's League and other party officials.

According to Amb. Nekesa, the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) approved modest financial resources to facilitate and support NRM candidates contesting in the grassroots elections. 

She explained that the financial assistance is intended to ease campaign and mobilisation activities, enabling party flag bearers to effectively reach voters in their respective villages and communicate the NRM's agenda to the electorate.

"We appreciate the commitment and sacrifices made by our flag bearers at the grassroots. The Central Executive Committee has therefore approved modest financial support to facilitate their mobilisation efforts and ensure that they are able to effectively engage the communities they seek to serve," Amb. Nekesa said.

She emphasized that the forthcoming LC and Women Council elections are of immense importance to both the party and the country because they determine the leadership structures that directly interact with communities and oversee the implementation of government programmes.

Strengthening Grassroots Governance

The NRM National Treasurer noted that Local Council structures remain the foundation of Uganda's governance system and are instrumental in mobilising communities to participate in government development programmes, particularly the Parish Development Model (PDM).

She observed that the role of grassroots leaders extends beyond political representation, pointing out that LC2 chairpersons automatically become chairpersons of Parish Development Committees, placing them at the centre of implementing key government initiatives.

"The LC1 and LC2 elections are very important because these leaders work directly with the people. They mobilise communities, coordinate local development activities and ensure that government programmes such as the Parish Development Model are successfully implemented," she said.

According to Nekesa, electing leaders who support government programmes and understand the NRM's development agenda is essential for accelerating socio-economic transformation at the parish and household levels.

Nationwide Mobilisation Exercise

The financial support announcement comes as the ruling party intensifies preparations for the grassroots elections by deploying senior party leaders and cadres across the country to coordinate campaign activities, monitor the electoral process and support flag bearers.

The NRM has already completed several internal processes, including the election of its LC1 flag bearers and the endorsement of nomination papers by parish registrars. The official nomination exercise is currently underway and is expected to conclude on July 19, while village mobilisation barazas are scheduled to take place on July 22 in all villages across Uganda.

Amb. Nekesa revealed that the Secretariat's mobilisation teams will remain deployed across the country until the Women Council and Local Council elections are fully concluded.

"The mobilisation teams are already on the ground and will continue supporting our candidates and monitoring the process until the elections are completed. Our objective is to ensure a smooth, peaceful and well-coordinated exercise across the country," she said.

Importance of the Elections

The upcoming Women Council and Local Council elections are expected to shape Uganda's grassroots leadership structures for the coming years.

Local Council leaders serve as the first point of contact between citizens and government, handling community disputes, promoting government programmes and spearheading local development initiatives. 

For the NRM, victory in the grassroots elections is considered critical to maintaining strong village structures and ensuring the successful implementation of flagship government programmes, particularly the Parish Development Model, which seeks to transition households from subsistence living to participation in the money economy.

Political observers say the approval of financial support for flag bearers demonstrates the ruling party's commitment to strengthening its grassroots structures and enhancing the capacity of its candidates to effectively campaign and mobilise voters.

As the country heads into the village polls, the NRM's nationwide mobilisation and monitoring exercise signals the party's determination to consolidate its support base and maintain its dominance at the grassroots level.