President Yoweri Museveni is expected to choose a new secretary-general for his National Resistance Movement party in January 2015.

Whomever he picks will have to hit the ground running to heal any fallout from the ouster of Amama Mbabazi, and to reinvigorate the party’s base ahead of the campaigns for the 2016 general elections, which begin in September 2015.

The incoming secretary-general has five tasks to accomplish in about seven months. First, they will have to reorganise the database containing the leadership of the party so that it is credible and reliable enough for the conference to elect a flag bearer in the presidential elections, said the party spokesperson Ofwono Opondo.

She or he will also have to work with the party’s electoral commission to draw up a roadmap for all the elections within and outside the party; draw up budgets, source for and raise money for the party; work on the party’s campaign platform; and set up a system for identifying party candidates for elections at all levels.

Proving critics wrong

Beyond these mostly immediate challenges, everyone in support of the changes will be hoping that this experiment works in consolidating the party over the long haul — especially as some critics read sinister motives in the move.

Party insiders insist the change from an elected secretary-general to an appointed one is aimed at removing competing centres of power. It will ensure the secretary-general pays full attention to the party’s work so that it is more efficient.

Yet critics see the changes as serving no other purpose beyond concentrating more power in President Museveni’s hands and extending his grip on the party and the country.

For a long time, Mr Mbabazi had been viewed as the last party member to potentially succeed President Museveni. His ouster, some analysts say, is likely to weaken the NRM further since it will frighten potential dissenters into silence. It, however, will not do away with subterranean grievances surrounding the party such as lack of robust internal debate.  

“As the veterans such as Mr Mbabazi are ejected, and others age and leave the party, it will be left as an empty shell, with the likes of Evelyn Anite, Frank Tumwebaze, Ronald Kibuule and others like them who won’t know how to run a party,” said a political analyst. 

Ms Anite, an MP; Mr Tumwebaze, an MP and Minister in Charge of the Presidency; Mr Kibuule, an MP and State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, are part of the so-called NRM Young Turks who, in February, started the relentless campaign against Mr Mbabazi.  

Some Young Turks like Richard Todwong, currently acting as deputy secretary-general, have featured in speculation over whom President Museveni will replace Mr Mbabazi with. This follows a recommendation by the party’s central executive committee that the incoming secretary-general should be someone below 45 years. 

There is also a proposal to ring-fence the two deputy positions for a woman and a young person to reflect the country’s demographics, where women and youth comprise the majority of the population.  

But according to Mr Ofwono, the party spokesperson, while the party is keen to see a younger generation emerge at the top of its leadership, the person fit for the docket will be one who has excellent and demonstrable organisational and managerial skills.
“The secretary-general’s main duty will be to set up the secretariat and mobilise our 60,000 branches within the country,” said Kirunda Kivejinja, the chairperson of the NRM’s historical leaders’ forum. 

On December 15, President Museveni persuaded NRM leaders to amend the party’s constitution so that he could appoint the secretary-general and the treasurer. Until now these positions were elective. The amendments were approved by some 10,000 delegates.