NRM Invites Over 10,000 Leaders for Museveni Swearing-In Ceremony

More than 10,200 leaders of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have been invited to attend the May 12 swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni, who also serves as the party’s long-serving national chairman.The delegates, drawn from Uganda’s 146 districts and cities, include members of party structures at district, city, and municipality levels. Each district or city is expected to send about 40 representatives, while municipalities and city divisions will each send an additional 30 delegates.Speaking to party leaders on Wednesday, NRM National Treasurer Barbara Nekesa Oundo said the mobilisation structures that delivered what she described as the party’s “mass victory” would also play a central role in preparations for the swearing-in celebrations.“The recently concluded campaigns that led to the NRM’s mass victory were largely driven by party structures under the central coordination of the NRM Secretariat,” Ms Nekesa said.She noted that the centralized mobilisation strategy helped eliminate confusion caused by multiple campaign groups operating independently in the same areas.“This central command created cohesion as it removed many mobilisation groups that were leading on different fronts within the same field. The organisation and coherency of the campaign effort was very monumental,” she added.According to party officials, transport reimbursements for delegates will be processed through district offices ahead of the ceremony, with leaders expected to travel to Kampala on May 11.Internal party documents show varying transport allocations depending on distance. Delegates from Acholi sub-region are expected to receive between Shs80,000 and Shs120,000, while those from Bukedi may receive up to Shs60,000 for travel to Kampala and similar facilitation for return journeys.Representatives from Busoga are expected to receive between Shs50,000 and Shs60,000 depending on district location. Delegates from Bunyoro, Ankole, Teso, and Greater Masaka will receive between Shs40,000 and Shs120,000, while leaders from Sebei, Kigezi, Mukono, and Mubende are expected to receive between Shs20,000 and Shs40,000. Delegates from Karamoja are set to receive up to Shs140,000 due to the long distance and transport costs involved.The party has also allocated at least Shs200,000 for accommodation of travelling officials, alongside a publicity budget exceeding Shs300 million to support district-level activities linked to President Museveni’s seventh elective swearing-in ceremony.NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo clarified that the ruling party is not directly financing the official state ceremony but is instead facilitating participation of party leaders.On Tuesday, Parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shs1.1 trillion, with Shs3 billion earmarked for the presidential swearing-in ceremony.Beyond Kampala, the NRM has organized district-wide publicity drives aimed at creating what officials described as a “national celebratory mood” during the inauguration. The events are expected to be broadcast live from districts across the country to the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.Under the arrangement, District Administrative Secretaries have been instructed to remain in their respective districts to coordinate mobilisation activities, live broadcasts, and public celebrations in collaboration with the Directorate of Information, Publicity and Public Relations.Party documents indicate that each district has been allocated Shs1 million for hiring sound systems, vehicles, and fuel for mobilisation drives. Another Shs1 million per district has been earmarked to facilitate journalists and support live broadcasting activities, while Shs500,000 has been budgeted for radio talk shows and public announcements.“This facilitation shall be sent to the districts in advance through district accounts. You shall coordinate party faithful to participate in the drives and talk shows,” part of the party communication reads.During the meeting, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong urged party leaders to maintain political momentum ahead of upcoming grassroots electoral processes by updating village-level party structures.Mr Todwong emphasized the need for early verification of LC1 candidates across villages to ensure full representation within party structures once electoral activities begin.The meeting was attended by members of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and senior officials from the NRM Secretariat.