Kampala, Uganda | Robert Okodia, a candidate for Northern Vice Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Entrepreneurs League, has urged the party leadership to reconsider President Yoweri Museveni’s directive suspending the league’s elections.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kampala on Tuesday, Okodia said the decision to halt the polls risked weakening internal democracy, disenfranchising grassroots members, and delaying the league’s ability to represent the interests of entrepreneurs across the country.
He explained that failure to hold the elections would stifle participation and undermine the trust that members had in the party’s processes.
He noted that entrepreneurs expected transparency and inclusivity from the ruling party.
Okodia also said the suspension could erode the credibility of the NRM at a time when unity was essential ahead of the 2026 general elections.
He criticised what he described as the commercialisation of politics, warning that the growing dominance of financial resources in internal contests was beginning to overshadow merit and fairness.
President Museveni ordered the immediate halt of the Entrepreneurs League elections on Monday, 25 August, during the NRM Special Interest Groups meeting at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The decision followed a joint petition by leading contenders, including King Caesar Mulenga, Phillip Kakuru Kanyujuka, Sanjay Tanna, Mukesh Shukla and Edson Ruyondo, who raised concerns over widespread irregularities.
Allegations included forged accreditation cards, missing or relocated delegates, inflation of delegate numbers beyond the official 750, and large-scale vote buying.
The contest had attracted Uganda’s wealthiest businessmen, including Hassan Basajjabalaba and King Caesar Mulenga, whose financial influence became a central point of contention.
NRM Electoral Commission chair Dr. Tanga Odoi announced the suspension after consultations with the President and the party, Secretary General Richard Todwong, stating that further guidance would be issued on when the election would be reconvened.
Okodia appealed to the party leadership to provide a clear and transparent roadmap for fresh polls.
He said the focus should remain on strengthening democracy and giving entrepreneurs a genuine voice in shaping both the party and the economy.
The NRM Entrepreneurs League plays a significant role in linking the ruling party to Uganda’s business community and mobilising support ahead of elections.