President Museveni has emphasized the importance of treating all members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) equally, regardless of how long they have been in the party.
In a statement addressed to Bazzukulu (grand childre), Museveni argued that old and new members must co-exist peacefully if the party wants to grow stronger and achieve bigger goals, like solving people’s problems through government programs.
The president’s message comes amid discussions within the NRM about the role of long-time members versus newcomers.
This debate was highlighted during the party’s recent Central Executive Committee (CEC) campaigns where Rebecca Kadaga, a veteran NRM member and First Deputy Prime Minister, said it was unfair for the NRM to tell her, a senior member, to stand down for a new member Anita Among, the speaker, for the position of second national vice-chairperson of the party.
Among eventually defeated Kadaga with a landslide victory of about 92.8% of the votes. Among’s win over the more experienced Kadaga sparked talks about whether seniority should give older members an advantage.
Using simple language, Museveni explained his view by referring to a story from the Bible in the Book of Matthew, chapter 20, verses 1-16. It’s a parable about a landowner who hires workers at different times of the day but pays them all the same wage at the end.
The early workers complain, but the owner says it’s his right to be fair to everyone. Museveni quoted the story to show that in politics, like in the “Kingdom of Heaven,” there should be no difference between “young” and “old” members.
“The last will be first and the first last,” he noted, adding that all members are equal because the the voters are the ones who decide.
He warned that discriminating against new members could hurt the party. “It would be insulting and repulsive to have two types of members: the old and the new,” Museveni said.
“How can you treat people who come to reinforce you as if they are squatters?” He gave historical examples, like how the Democratic Party (DP) in 1980 lost support by not welcoming former rivals, leading to divisions.
Museveni, who himself switched from the DP to the Uganda Patriotic Congress (UPC) in 1970 before founding the NRM, urged older members to focus on helping people through initiatives like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga. If they do that, he said, newcomers won’t outshine them.
“In political parties, all members should be equal,” he said.
He promised to address organizational issues, including corruption, in a future statement.
