As the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party votes in the sub-county level structure elections today, tension and anticipation have reached fever pitch among top party aspirants ahead of a vote that could shape the NRM’s leadership dynamics for years to come.

While the sub-county polls may appear like a routine internal party process, their significance runs much deeper. The elected members from these grassroots structures form the electoral backbone of the NRM, culminating in the powerful bloc that will vote during the highly anticipated Delegates Conference in August.

On Thursday, ‎the NRM Electoral Commission has released guidelines for the structure elections at sub-county and Municipality Division levels slated to take place tomorrow, 16th May 2025.

That conference will determine the fate of key positions in the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) – the NRM’s highest decision-making organ.

Several aspirants eyeing top CEC positions — including Vice Chairpersons for regions, are making last minute moves to ensure those with their interests win tomorrow, knowing that success in the August elections hinges on securing support from these very grassroots delegates.

“Tomorrow’s elections will determine who has a real grip on the ground,” said an NRM insider familiar with internal party strategy.

He added, “Anyone who wants to win at the top must have loyal delegates at the base.”

Over the past weeks, quiet lobbying, strategic alliances, and mobilization drives have been underway, especially in politically active districts. This has been accompanied by village and parish elections.

The polls are expected to test the influence of regional kingmakers and showcase which factions within the NRM have retained grassroots loyalty ahead of what is expected to be a competitive and unpredictable in many ways, delegates conference.

For party loyalists and political observers, the sub-county elections are more than internal politics — they are a preview of shifting power centers within the NRM and a rehearsal for the 2026 general elections.

As one top aspirant put it: “You can’t win the CEC without winning the grassroots."