Four NRM party members are challenging established leaders for positions on the Central Executive Committee.
KAMPALA, UGANDA . A significant shakeup is brewing within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party as a quartet of relatively fresh faces, Buyela Christopher, Kyanika Rehama, Kyeswa Hakim, and Sadat Serugo Nsi Egumire, have formally declared their intention to unseat entrenched heavyweights in the upcoming elections for the powerful Central Executive Committee (CEC).
This coordinated challenge directly targets long-standing CEC members Captain Mike Mukula (Vice Chairman Eastern Region), Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi (Vice Chairman Central Region), Lydia Wanyoto (Vice Chairperson for Women), and Shonny Katongole (Chairperson for the Elderly League), signalling a potential generational and ideological shift within the party's highest decision-making body.
The challengers, positioning themselves as representatives of a new wave seeking greater dynamism and grassroots responsiveness, argue that the current leadership has become disconnected from the party's rank and file and requires renewal to address contemporary challenges and maintain the NRM's dominance effectively.
The incumbents, particularly Captain Mukula (a former Minister, wealthy businessman, and influential political strategist in the East) and Godfrey Kiwanda (a former State Minister and prominent mobilizer in the Central region), bring decades of experience, vast networks, and significant resources to their campaigns.
Lydia Wanyoto, a seasoned mobilizer and former MP, commands substantial influence within the women's league structure, while Shonny Katongole holds sway among the party's elder constituency.
Their challengers, while less nationally prominent, are leveraging local networks and a narrative of change. Buyela Christopher, Kyanika Rehama, Kyeswa Hakim, and Sadat Serugo are actively campaigning on platforms emphasising accountability, internal party democracy, youth and women empowerment, and a more aggressive approach to tackling grassroots economic hardships – themes they believe resonate strongly with the delegates who will vote at the National Conference.
This contest is being closely watched as a crucial indicator of the internal balance of power within the NRM and the appetite, or resistance, towards significant leadership change at its apex. While the incumbents possess formidable advantages, the coordinated nature of this challenge and the specific arguments for renewal suggest these CEC races will be fiercely competitive and could redefine the party's leadership landscape for years to come. The outcome will depend heavily on delegates' sentiment regarding the need for continuity versus the demand for fresh perspectives within the NRM's top echelons.
