By Jamil Kazibwe
Ask any keen political observer and they will tell you — no single individual has undermined the NRM’s internal cohesion more than Dr. Tanga Odoi.
During his tenure, the party has endured the most chaotic internal processes in its history. The just-concluded primaries, unprecedented in their disorder, have been challenged by nearly 80% of participants — a staggering indictment of the process and its leadership.
Many of us saw this crisis coming. The Kisoro Woman MP by-election primaries — which ended in bitter divisions and confusion — laid bare Tanga Odoi’s gross incompetence.
It was proof that, after more than a decade at the helm of the NRM Electoral Commission, he had learned nothing from past mistakes.
What is most disheartening is that President Museveni, through the countrywide Parish Development Model tours, had painstakingly consolidated party unity.
Yet, through sheer mismanagement, Tanga Odoi has dismantled much of that progress in a matter of weeks.
It is therefore not surprising that senior leaders, including Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga — the third highest-ranking official in the NRM — have now joined the growing chorus demanding Tanga Odoi’s immediate removal.
Their grievances are clear: incompetence, questionable integrity, and a blatant lack of impartiality.
President Yoweri Museveni has acknowledged that the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries were plagued by serious irregularities, including result alterations, bribery, and interference with voter registers.
He clarified that, according to legal advice, Tanga Odoi cannot unilaterally rectify the mistakes.
Because one man slept on the job, the NRM is now faced with the uphill task of rolling out a costly and time-consuming conflict resolution strategy to repair the damage. The stakes are high — and time is running out.
Jamil Kazibwe is an NRM Cadre
