Uganda: NRM's Dombo Defends Party Primaries, Promises Action On Petitions and Voter Bribery

The Director of Communication for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Emmanuel Dombo, has defended the party's just-concluded primary elections, describing them as a major step forward in transparency and efficiency.

Speaking on the News Hour segment on NBS Television, Dombo said the party's electoral commission had performed better than in previous election cycles, citing a sharp drop in the number of petitions filed.

"Last time we had over 1,000 petitions--now we have about 300. Our updated register has really helped us," Dombo noted.

He also rejected criticism of the controversial lining-up voting method, arguing that it has delivered more credible outcomes.

"Lining up is the best method in elections. In fact, it's the reason we had fewer petitions," he said.

Still, Dombo admitted that gaps remain in the party's internal processes. He proposed rotating registrars on the eve of elections to prevent bias or vote manipulation.

"We need to have better registrars to avoid such issues. If it means swapping them a day to the election, we do it--such that if they had a plan of being biased, we disorganize them," he explained.

Dombo expressed concern over growing voter bribery during primaries, warning that the influence of money could erode the quality of leadership the party promotes.

"Money is evil. But we must train our people that when you're serving the people, serve them well," he said.

Addressing the fallout from the primaries, Dombo confirmed that the party is already implementing reconciliation efforts, especially targeting candidates who have threatened to run as independents in the 2026 general elections.

"A mechanism has already been put in place. We already have a team of elders in the party who will be moving on the ground to speak to those who lost," he said.

His remarks come as the NRM faces increasing scrutiny over internal democracy, with allegations of irregularities, favoritism, and vote-buying surfacing in multiple districts.

Despite this, Dombo remains optimistic that with stronger systems, open dialogue, and targeted reconciliation, the party can consolidate support ahead of the national polls.

Read the original article on Nile Post.