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Kamuntu said that Uganda now classified as a middle-income country, people have money. They must therefore support their party through subscriptions
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Sheema
Professor Ephraim Kamuntu, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Manifesto Implementation and NRM flag bearer for the Sheema South parliamentary seat, has urged NRM supporters to start paying subscription fees in order to be formally recognised as party members. Kamuntu made the proposal on Monday while addressing a meeting of NRM leaders and flag bearers from across Sheema District, held at the District Council Hall.
He emphasized that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has always been a mass party with a presence in nearly every village in Uganda, describing it as a historical and inclusive institution whose strength must now be consolidated through stronger member participation.
“The NRM has been an inclusive, historical mass party, present in every village in the country. That has never happened before in Uganda’s political history. To consolidate this strength, party members must begin paying subscription fees,” Kamuntu said.
He further argued that with Uganda now classified as a middle-income country, citizens are capable of financially supporting institutions they belong to.
“Our country is now a middle-income country. People have money. Therefore, being a member of the party without paying any amount is not sustainable,” he said. “You must subscribe to the party in terms of ideas, and you must subscribe to the party in terms of cash.”
Currently, the NRM Constitution does not require supporters to pay subscription fees. However, Kamuntu believes that even small contributions could help fund party activities, especially at the grassroots level.
The Sheema meeting was held ahead of the NRM Delegates Conference scheduled for next week in Kampala, which will bring together delegates from across the country to discuss party matters in preparation for the 2026 general elections.
The gathering was attended by all NRM flag bearers in Sheema, including councillors at all levels, the municipality mayor, Members of Parliament, the LC5 chairperson, and subcounty NRM chairpersons.
During the same meeting, Sheema District NRM Chairperson Richard Muhangi Bigirwa condemned the increasing commercialization of politics, which he said was evident in the recently concluded NRM primaries.
“If this continues, we risk choosing leaders who are not competent,” Bigirwa warned. “We must elect leaders based on their ability and commitment, not how much money they can spend.”
Bigirwa also encouraged NRM leaders and supporters to actively engage in agriculture, particularly through adopting the four-acre model, as a way of improving household income and ensuring sustainability.
“As leaders, we must lead by example. Let us embrace agriculture to support our families,” he said. “The four-acre model is a practical approach that every homestead can adopt to fight poverty.”
Torch Media Africa
