As the National Resistance Movement (NRM) renews its leadership at the grassroots, senior party members are positioning themselves to play an influential role within the party.
The biggest battle for local supremacy within the NRM is taking shape in Rukungiri district, where Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde and Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi will face off for the position of NRM district chairperson. The elections will take place tomorrow (May 23, 2025).
Both men, revered as historical figures of the NRA, which brought President Museveni to power, are no strangers to the rough-and-tumble of Ugandan politics.
Their contest tomorrow, set against the backdrop of Rukungiri’s complex political landscape, promises to be a heated battle, with tensions already spilling over into clashes between their supporters.
For years, the peri-urban parts of the district, such as the municipality and Rujumbura, have seen a rise in opposition support, with Besigye’s influence casting a long shadow over the district’s electoral dynamics.
Tumukunde and Muhwezi, both seasoned politicians and former military men, share a storied history with Museveni.
They were among the young recruits from Rukungiri who joined the NRA’s bush war in the early 1980s, fighting to overthrow the government of Milton Obote.
Tumukunde, born in 1959, was a machine gunner who survived near-fatal injuries during the Luwero battles, later rising to become a key figure in Uganda’s intelligence apparatus as Director General of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
Muhwezi, a trained lawyer and former police officer, also played a pivotal role in the NRA, later serving as Minister of Information and Security, and currently holds the Rujumbura parliamentary seat.
Despite their contributions to Museveni’s rise, both generals have had turbulent relationships with the president. Tumukunde’s defiance came to a head in 2005 when he publicly opposed the removal of presidential term limits, leading to his arrest, an eight-year court-martial, and detention in Kololo.
His outspoken criticism of Museveni’s long rule culminated in a 2021 presidential bid as an independent, a move that saw him arrested for alleged treason.
Yet, Tumukunde has since reconciled with the NRM, campaigning for Museveni in 2016 and now seeking to lead the party’s district structures.
Muhwezi’s fall from grace was less dramatic but no less significant. Once a close ally of Museveni, he faced political oblivion after the 2005 Global Fund scandal, which led to his dismissal as Health Minister.
He lost his Rujumbura seat in 2016 to FDC’s Fred Turyamuhweza but orchestrated a stunning comeback in 2021, defeating Turyamuhweza with a robust grassroots campaign.
His loyalty to the NRM has been a cornerstone of his political narrative, with supporters praising his consistency in contrast to defectors like Besigye and Tumukunde.
Both generals have commendable credentials. But on a personal level, they are said not to be the best of friends.
Their rivalry, sources said, revolves around ego. Each has always wanted to be the most influential actor in the district.
Ahead of the elections, there are reports of clashes between the supporters of Muhwezi and Tumukunde. We have also been told that security has been beefed up within the municipality where the race could be won or lost.
Tumukunde’s camp, buoyed by his reputation as a charismatic mobilizer, is rallying grassroots support, particularly among younger voters who see him as a reformist voice within the NRM.
Meanwhile, Muhwezi’s team, leveraging his entrenched influence and recent electoral successes, is mobilizing resources to maintain his dominance.
One source noted that Muhwezi’s decision to back Ambrose Kibuuka for the chairperson role in 2020, only to see those elections stalled, has left some local NRM members disillusioned, potentially bolstering Tumukunde’s campaign.
The stakes are high in Rukungiri, where the NRM’s gains in 2021—Museveni’s 71.4% vote share compared to 48% in 2016—were largely attributed to Muhwezi’s relentless campaigning.
However, Tumukunde’s return to the NRM fold and his aggressive grassroots penetration threaten to upend Muhwezi’s control.
Political analysts suggest that Tumukunde’s appeal lies in his critique of the NRM’s stagnation, a sentiment that resonates in a district weary of unfulfilled promises on health, education, and infrastructure.
Muhwezi, on the other hand, positions himself as the steady hand, pointing to his role in securing NRM victories and his current tenure as Security Minister.
As the contest nears, the battle of Muhwezi and Tumukunde could be a microcosm of the NRM’s broader struggle to maintain unity and relevance in a changing political landscape. Will Tumukunde’s reformist zeal outshine Muhwezi’s entrenched loyalty?
Or will Muhwezi’s political machinery overpower his rival’s charisma? The answer to these questions will be known in the next 24 hours.
