The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has announced that its membership has risen to 20.7 million, up from 18 million last year, as the party finalizes its register ahead of the 2026 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party headquarters in Kampala, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong revealed that the party's numbers have steadily grown since it began updating its register in March last year.

"From the 18.3 million members we had, we now have 20.7 million," Todwong stated.

Todwong explained that the registered members include individuals aged 16 and above who joined the party during the process. However, for voting purposes, the party will separate those below 18 from the official register.

"Of the 20.7 million, those below 18 years are going to be removed from that list, and then we shall remain with the exact number of voters," he said.

Todwong also took the opportunity to dismiss skepticism regarding the party's figures, insisting that NRM had followed a rigorous verification process to ensure accuracy.

"We are very confident in what we are saying. We have gone through several stages to verify this data," he affirmed.

The latest figures come as the party nears the completion of its register, a process expected to culminate in the release of the final party register and the official election roadmap in the coming weeks.

With the 2026 elections approaching, the NRM's claimed membership surge is likely to spark political debate, especially as opposition parties also prepare for the electoral season.