The National Resistance Movement (NRM) yesterday played host to a delegation from Kenya’s ruling party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in a meeting where the two parties exchanged ideas on governance.
Richard Todwong, the NRM secretary general, stressed the importance of sustained leadership in achieving long-term social transformation.
“For meaningful change, leadership must be durable. As the NRM, we believe in the stability of long-term leadership, as it takes time to address the people’s needs,” he remarked.
He said the party’s close relationship with the public is vital to its governance, with dedicated staff ensuring the party stays attuned to the evolving demands of Ugandan society.
“Political parties should get involved in the integration of the East African Community; we are the whips of the governments,” Todwong emphasised.
NRM’s deputy secretary general Rose Namayanja echoed these sentiments, highlighting the inseparable bond between Uganda and Kenya.
“Kenya was our refuge during Uganda’s turbulent years. Our historical bond must guide us as we push forward the East African integration agenda,” she said.
UDA’s Secretary General, Hassan Omar Hassan, who led the delegation praised NRM’s leadership and resilience, calling the meeting a valuable learning opportunity for his party.
“We aim to build partnerships with time-tested parties like the NRM. Our goal at UDA is to institutionalise our party to ensure its longevity, much like the NRM has done in Uganda,” Hassan said.
He expressed UDA’s interest in learning from the organisational structures of NRM, ANC (South Africa), and CCM (Tanzania) as part of their efforts to strengthen UDA’s role in Kenyan politics.
“We see the NRM as a model of political stability and look forward to learning more about how it has maintained its organising power,” he said