By Our Reporter
The political ground beneath the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is shifting fast—and at the center of the tremors is Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, the Senior Presidential Advisor and head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC). After storming grassroots elections at village, parish, and sub-county levels, Namyalo’s team has emerged as a force too big to ignore.
In a high-energy address to her coordinators at the ONC headquarters in Kyambogo, Namyalo didn’t mince words. “We didn’t just participate—we dominated,” she said. “This is the storm you created on the ground.”
According to data from her office, ONC-backed candidates clinched a staggering 1,348,981 out of 2.1 million available leadership positions in 72,000 villages across Uganda. These include key roles like chairpersons, vice chairpersons, youth leaders, and women’s league representatives—individuals who will soon cast crucial votes for delegates to the NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
And the wave didn’t stop there.
At the parish level, where Uganda has 10,730 parishes and 321,900 party positions, ONC scooped 153,200 slots—including 7,200 parish chairpersons. At the fiercely contested sub-county and municipality level, ONC took home 28,981 out of 65,730 positions and a whopping 1,680 of the 2,191 sub-county chairperson seats.
“That’s fire on the ground,” Namyalo declared to thunderous applause, crediting the momentum to what she called “small facilitation” from President Yoweri Museveni. “Whatever little the President gave you, you multiplied it into a massive success.”
The timing of ONC’s political takeover is critical. With the NRM Delegates Conference slated for August at Namboole, these local leaders are poised to play a defining role in shaping the party’s top decision-making organ—the CEC. Namyalo, widely known among her supporters as the “Chief Muzzukulu,” made it clear that her delegates are not just participants; they are kingmakers.
“People are spreading rumors that ONC won’t be allowed at the Delegates Conference. But let me be clear: you can block Namyalo, but you won’t block my delegates. They are in the system. They are the voters,” she said, throwing down the gauntlet to those she accuses of undermining her efforts.
She didn’t hold back in criticizing some NRM electoral officers and security operatives—including RDCs and DISOs—whom she claims have been colluding to sideline ONC-backed candidates. “We know the tricks. We’re watching, and we’re ready,” she warned.
To counter potential interference, Namyalo announced the formation of “10-member voter protection teams” in every village, claiming they are primed to defend the movement’s achievements—and to confront any threats, including from the opposition. “We’re ready to face off with Bobi Wine’s foot soldiers in 2026,” she added.
Namyalo’s bold rhetoric comes amid rising generational tension within the NRM. A new wave of youth-backed candidates, many aligned with her camp, have triumphed over older party elites—signaling a grassroots-driven shift that could redefine the ruling party’s future.
“This isn’t just about elections—it’s about the legacy,” Namyalo told her supporters. “We, the Bazzukulu, are not settling for less. We are demanding our Jajja to stay forever.”
With district-level elections coming up next week, all eyes are on the ONC machinery. If the momentum continues, analysts say Namyalo could become one of the most influential figures in shaping the NRM’s direction ahead of the 2026 general elections.
From grassroots mobilization to national influence, ONC has eaten big—and the NRM may never be the same again.
