A group of young party members, operating under the umbrella of the NRM Revolutionary Network, has broken ranks with the party leadership. They are now demanding that the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker be openly contested, arguing that every MP with the necessary qualifications should be allowed to vie.
At a press conference held this morning in Nakawa, leaders of this youth faction—including Jude Wanume Mugagga, Ivan Mwijukye, and Peter Kivumbi—declared that it is unjust for the Party's Central Executive Committee, or CEC, to simply endorse the incumbent Speaker, Anita Annet Among, and her Deputy, Thomas Tayebwa, for another term.
"We are asking that these positions be opened up. Every NRM MP who has the ideas and the qualifications should be given a chance to contest."
But their demands don't stop there. The group is also calling for a major shift in how the party chooses its leaders. They are proposing a public debate, a town hall-style forum, where all aspiring candidates can present their manifestos directly to the people.
"We want a debate. We want the people of Uganda to see these candidates, to hear their plans, and to be able to decide for themselves who is the best fit for the position of Speaker."
The youth expressed deep frustration over what they call the party's hypocrisy. They accuse the NRM top leadership of poaching defectors from opposition parties and giving them prominent positions, while ignoring and sidelining its own loyal members who have worked in the trenches for the party.
"We need these positions. We have been loyal. We have served this party through good and bad times. We cannot be ignored in favor of newcomers."
This rebellion comes at a sensitive time. Reports have been circulating that the top echelons of the NRM are firmly rallying behind Speaker Among and Deputy Speaker Tayebwa, a move that has clearly angered these grassroots members.
The field of candidates vying for the Speaker's chair is already taking shape. It includes the incumbent Anita Among, former Minister Persis Namuganza who is running as an independent, and Democratic Party President Norbert Mao, among others who have already expressed interest.
This sudden pressure from its own youth wing presents a significant challenge to the NRM's efforts to present a united front as Parliament prepares to elect its new leadership.
