Tensions are rising within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Mukono District after party members, including internal leaders and former flag bearers at the local government level, accused the district party leadership of corruption, embezzlement, and self-interest—claims they say have weakened the party and contributed to its poor electoral performance.
The disgruntled members, who were NRM flag bearers for various elective positions, convened a meeting at Buyuki Village in Nama Sub-county to discuss what they described as systemic failures within the party. During the meeting, they openly criticised the district leadership, accusing it of abandoning candidates at the grassroots during the election period.
At the centre of the accusations is the Mukono District NRM chairperson, Al-Hajji Harunah Ssemakula, whom members described as corrupt and greedy. They allege that his leadership stalled party activities and undermined mobilisation efforts, resulting in the party’s failure to win key positions.
The members further claim that Ssemakula received funds from NRM headquarters intended to facilitate campaigns and grassroots mobilisation, but allegedly failed to pass on the money to candidates. They say many flag bearers received no financial or material support during or even after the elections.
Joseph Wamala Maseruka, the former NRM flag bearer for Ggulu Parish councillor to Mukono Municipal Council, said corruption among party officials denied candidates the resources meant to support legitimate campaign activities.
“Money was released to help with campaigns, but it never reached the grassroots,” Maseruka said. “Some of us did not receive any support at all, even after the elections.”
He added that party members had previously raised concerns with Ssemakula.
“We once sat with Haruna when he brought his equipment and told him to stop. We want to inform him, under all circumstances, that everything he has been doing has not benefited the NRM in Mukono District.”
Several members called for the district chairperson to step down to allow for fresh leadership, saying the party could no longer rely on what they termed as unfulfilled promises. They accused Ssemakula of assuring them of victory, only for the party to continue losing positions as the elections progressed.
Umar Ssebuyungo, the NRM flag bearer for Chairperson of Mukono Central Division, said the party’s poor performance contradicted the national leadership’s emphasis on strong grassroots mobilisation.
“The national party leader wants strong support at the grassroots, but in Mukono we failed even to win a single parliamentary seat,” Ssebuyungo said. “All our candidates lost, and NRM failed to secure representation.”
He also accused the district leadership of neglecting elected councillors.
“The chairperson and other leaders do not attend council meetings to check on flag bearers. Those of us at the grassroots do all the work. The votes the President got came through councillors, yet everyone is complaining that the district chairperson did not support them.”
Members further alleged that Ssemakula promised material support, such as bicycles and other campaign facilitation during meetings, but none of the pledges were fulfilled. They insist that funds sent from party headquarters were blocked and misused.
“Our chairperson has not helped us at all,” one member said. “Voters at the grassroots are suffering and regretting why we entrusted him with this position. Even the money meant to help councillors never appeared. We don’t know where it went.”
However, Ssemakula dismissed the accusations, saying he personally did not receive most of the funds alleged by the members. He explained that money from party headquarters was only allocated to specific categories of candidates, including parliamentary aspirants, district chairpersons, and mayors.
“Apart from those categories, no one else received funds,” Ssemakula said.
He acknowledged receiving 630000 shillings, which he said was distributed to villages. According to him, the money facilitated mobilisation activities, including the provision of funds for four boda-boda motorcycles per sub-county and per village, and he maintained that the resources were duly delivered.
The dispute comes in the wake of NRM’s poor performance in the recently concluded elections, particularly at the local government level, where the majority of positions in Mukono District were won by opposition candidates.
