A bombshell petition from Kalanzi John, a resident of Kalyabulo Upper Zone in Ngoma Town Council, has blown the lid off a disgraceful display of electoral corruption by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) during the party’s recent structure elections.
The allegations, detailed in a scathing letter to the Nakaseke NRM District Registrar, paint a grim picture of a party spiraling into chaos, with top officials openly flouting their own rules to cling to power and silence dissent.
If left unchecked, this scandal threatens to erode the NRM’s credibility as the 2026 elections loom.
A Trail of Deception and Betrayal
Kalanzi’s petition, filed on May 16, 2025, exposes a deliberate and systematic effort by NRM officials to rig the party structure elections in Ngoma Town Council.
The Central Executive Committee guidelines, signed by National Chairperson Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on May 1, 2025, were meant to ensure a fair and democratic process—but Kalanzi alleges they were tossed aside like trash.
In a chilling revelation, he claims the violations began as early as May 13, 2025, when LCI Barazas in Gomero West Ward were skipped entirely, with shadowy figures filling village registers to manipulate the outcome.
Residents petitioned the District Registrar, but their cries for justice were met with empty promises and inaction, leaving the Parish Conference for Gomero non-existent.
On May 16, 2025, the situation deteriorated further during a briefing at Ngoma Town Council Headquarters.
Kalanzi accuses District Registrar Paul Tandeka and Town Council Registrar Agaba Henry of openly defying sections 13(a) III and IV of the NRM Election Guidelines, barring LC III Councillors and LC II Executives from voting in a blatant power grab.
When Kalanzi confronted them with the guidelines, Tandeka dismissed them as “old,” withdrew from the process, and left the election in shambles.
To make matters worse, the Parish Conference registers were riddled with discrepancies, with names that didn’t match earlier records—a clear sign of tampering that screams foul play.
Kalanzi’s Plea for Justice
Kalanzi, a duly nominated candidate with a receipt to prove it, is sounding the alarm: this isn’t just a procedural hiccup—it’s a calculated effort by NRM officials to crush his campaign and deny his supporters their rightful victory.
He demands a new, lawful election that adheres to the guidelines and a transparent declaration of eligible voters to prevent further manipulation.
“The NRM’s popularity is plummeting because of biased decisions and conflicts of interest by party officials,” Kalanzi warns, a statement that should send shockwaves through the party’s leadership.
The NRM’s Sinking Ship
This isn’t an isolated incident—Ngoma Town Council is just the tip of the iceberg. The NRM has a history of turning a blind eye to internal corruption, and Nakaseke District is no exception.
Past scandals, like the mismanagement of party funds in 2021, have already dented the party’s image, and now, with Tandeka at the center of this storm, the NRM risks losing its grip on a district it once dominated.
Just weeks ago, on May 7, 2025, Deputy Secretary General Rt. Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko boasted about the party’s grassroots strength in Nakaseke’s Bukakala Village—but Kalanzi’s petition reveals a far uglier truth: a party rotting from within, where loyalty to the people is sacrificed for personal gain.
A Call to Action
If the NRM thinks it can sweep this under the rug, it’s gravely mistaken.
Kalanzi has sent copies of his petition to the Resident District Commissioner, the Regional Registrars’ Coordinator, and other key figures, ensuring this scandal won’t stay buried.
The party’s silence as of May 17, 2025, is deafening—and damning. With the 2026 elections on the horizon, the NRM must act swiftly to clean house, or risk a revolt from its own ranks.
The people of Ngoma Town Council deserve better than a party that rigs elections and betrays its own principles. Will the NRM rise to the occasion, or will it let corruption drag it into the abyss?