President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been urged to launch an immediate, comprehensive audit of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s registry books, following grave allegations of widespread election fraud orchestrated by a “clique” led by NRM Election Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi.
The accusations, detailed in a letter penned by concerned NRM loyalist Ssemakula Yusuf, claim a systematic effort to purge individuals deeply devoted to the President and the party’s foundational ideals.
The letter, addressed directly to President Museveni, refers to him using his self-attributed titles of “Ssabalwanyi,” “Ssemalungu,” and “the Original NRA,” appealing to his historical role as the nation’s liberator and visionary leader. Yusuf expresses profound admiration for the President’s leadership but warns that the integrity of the NRM is under threat from within.
Central to the allegations is the purported targeting of loyal and high-performing NRM members, most notably the Princess Persis Namuganza. Yusuf describes Namuganza as a “steadfast servant,” whose “brilliance and hard work are undeniable,” and who has consistently faced opposition from “certain elements.”
According to the letter, the recent NRM party elections were not genuine but a “sham selection process designed to favor persons who align with the hidden agendas of these wrong elements against you, Your Excellency, and the country at large.”
Ssemakula Yusuf points to manipulated voter registers as the root of the alleged plot. “Imagine villages listed with over 800 voters in the registers, yet physically, those numbers do not exist on the ground,” the letter states, urging the President to investigate how these “wrong elements initiated their schemes.”
The concerned citizen raises serious implications for the NRM’s future, particularly in light of President Museveni’s stated focus on “protecting the gains” achieved under his leadership. “How will this be possible when a team of selected individuals has built a fence to exclude all those truly loyal to you?” Yusuf questions, asserting that retaining exemplary performers like Hon. Namuganza is crucial for the country’s continued progress.
Yusuf’s letter expresses a deep fear that if Dr. Tanga Odoi and his alleged accomplices “can manipulate a party exercise to remove your most loyal and hardworking people from office, the same tactics could one day be turned against you.” While acknowledging “talk of the so-called transition,” Yusuf firmly dismisses the notion that it should involve targeting the party’s best.
The letter culminates in an urgent plea for presidential intervention: “As the Head of State, the Original NRA, and our Ssabalwanyi, I urge you to open your eyes and investigate how and why there is a setup of people working day and night to flush out your most loyal and hardworking supporters.”
Yusuf warns that this “clique” is “ring-fencing itself around you, potentially isolating you from the true pillars of the NRM,” and suggests they “must have a bigger plan.”
Ssemakula Yusuf concludes with a poignant question to President Museveni: “Why are these people flushing out your most loyal servants? Why are they targeting the best performers? Why? The NRM cannot afford to lose Hon. Persis Namuganza.” The letter calls for prompt action from the President to address these “fraudulent actions” before it is too late.
