NRM Primaries – Tayebwa, Nabbanja Nominated for Parliamentary Flag Bearer Contest 

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja have been duly nominated to contest in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary elections ahead of the 2026 general elections. 

Tayebwa was nominated as a contestant in Ruhinda North Constituency primary in Mitooma District. Speaking shortly after his nomination, he expressed confidence that the campaigns would remain peaceful and that the outcomes would be fair across the country. 

He called upon all nominated candidates to run issue-based campaigns and refrain from using abusive language, stressing the importance of post-election unity and reconciliation.

Tayebwa also emphasized the need for unity among leaders, noting that he was nominated by area leaders, including Mitooma District Woman MP Juliet Bashiisha and the district’s Deputy Speaker. He said development is more effective when leaders work together and pledged to cooperate with Cabinet Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, Bashiisha, and the District Chairperson to address shared challenges and enhance service delivery. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja was nominated to contest for the Woman Member of Parliament seat primary in Kakumiro District. Nabbanja stated that the government is fully prepared to maintain peace during the 2026 election period. She is set to face Harriet Tibulihwa Ssali Abwooli, a mobilizer under the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pressure group led by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. 

Tibulihwa picked nomination forms last week but is yet to return them. Nabbanja also outlined some of the government’s key achievements under the NRM leadership, including improved access to clean water, upgraded health facilities, construction of new schools, and a reduction in school dropout rates. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continued development and the improved welfare of Ugandans.

The NRM Legal Department, headed by Lawyer Enoch Barata and joined by other legal experts including Anthony Bazira, verified and scrutinized the nomination documents before the candidates were officially cleared by NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi. Despite heavy presence of supporters, security personnel blocked hundreds from accessing the NRM headquarters on Kyadondo Road in Kampala. 

Only authorized individuals were allowed entry, with roads leading to the premises cordoned off. Other candidates nominated include Muhammad Muyanja Ssentayi for Bukoto Midwest in Lwengo District, former presidential candidate Retired Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde for Rukungiri Municipality, and State Minister in the Office of the Vice President Diana Mutasingwa, who seeks to reclaim the Buikwe District Woman MP seat. 

Kobusingye Olivia has also been nominated for the National Female Youth MP seat. She is expected to face Diana Ampaire Kampe and Fiona Nakku, both of whom expressed interest last week but are yet to return their nomination forms. The two-week nomination exercise commenced on Tuesday, with successful candidates set to compete in the NRM primaries scheduled for July 16, 2025, through the lining-up method.