The Revivalists Movement, a pressure group of the NRM, is demanding fairness on specific civil rights that have been violated by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party including delayed party internal elections.

The lawsuit, Tuesday, according to council Keith Namala Kyaruzi, the Revivalist Movement legal officer, “Is seeking declarations from the court on these alleged violations, as well as orders to compel the NRM to immediately conduct internal elections and to restrain the current unauthorized officials from participating in party activities.”

Failure to conduct internal elections as required by the NRM constitution, which mandates elections every 5 years. The last NRM elections were held in 2016, but have not been conducted since then, he said in kampala during a press conference.

The current NRM officials are unlawfully occupying their positions, as their terms have expired without new elections being held.

“The failure to conduct internal elections is a violation of my client’s and other NRM members’ civil rights, as provided under the Ugandan constitution, particularly, Article 38, which gives Ugandans the right to participate in the governance of their country, including through political organizations. Article 59, which guarantees citizens’ rights to free and fair participation in political activities. Article 71, which requires political parties to adhere to democratic principles in their internal governance,” noted Mr. Kyaruzi.

Isaac Rukunda, team leader and Chief Commissar, highlighted that the failure to conduct elections has denied NRM members their constitutional right to choose their leaders, undermining the party’s credibility as a democratic institution.

The NRM constitution is referenced, specifically Chapter Five, Section 46, which states that the term of service for elected members is five years, unless terminated earlier. Rukunda, added that Article 71 section C of the Ugandan Constitution requires political parties to adhere to democratic principles, questioning the validity of the COVID-19 excuse for not holding elections.

He, however, indicated that the internal NRM elections, conducted through electoral colleges, posed less risk of COVID-19 spread compared to the mass rallies and public participation in presidential and parliamentary elections. And more than nine by-elections have been held since 2021, indicating a pattern of delayed elections.

The chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission failed to provide a roadmap for the election of NRM party structures from village to district level by November 2023. Now One year has passed since the roadmap was due, and there has been no implementation, explanation, or feedback from the leadership, said Rukunda.

He attributed this to lack of responsibility and accountability, emphasizing the importance of timely and transparent election processes to maintain the integrity and functionality of the NRM party structures.