The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has increased nomination fees for members seeking to contest various positions on its ticket in the upcoming 2026 general elections.
Speaking during the launch of the party’s electoral roadmap in Kampala, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko said the fee hike is necessary to support the party’s extensive electoral preparations.
“These funds help facilitate our internal election processes. While they don’t cover all the expenses, they serve as contributions from party members toward organizing the elections,” Namayanja explained.
She also noted that once aspirants win the party primaries, the NRM covers their nomination fees to the Electoral Commission. “We ask them to contribute a little at the beginning because even MPs make monthly contributions to the party,” she added.
Namayanja confirmed that the voting method would remain lining behind candidates, as has been the practice in previous NRM primaries. She further revealed that the number of Electoral Commission (EC) commissioners within the party has increased from three to seven, all of whom are experienced leaders capable of managing elections effectively.
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong shared that following a recent voter register update, the party has grown to over 20.7 million members, with nearly 19.8 million eligible voters.
“These figures represent registered members from every village to the district level. On average, each village has about 300 members. Of our total, 19,804,097 are of voting age,” Todwong said.
When asked why the NRM’s eligible voter numbers exceed those reported by the national Electoral Commission, Todwong attributed the difference to the party’s deeper grassroots reach. “Our registration was open to all Ugandans, and our operations reach village level, unlike the national EC, which works mainly at parish level,” he said.
He also noted that the NRM currently operates over 72,000 polling stations across the country, almost double the number used by the national EC.
New NRM Nomination Fees (Select Positions):
| Position | Old Fee | New Fee |
|---|---|---|
| National Chairperson | Shs 10m | Shs 20m |
| 1st Vice Chairperson (Male) | Shs 5m | Shs 10m |
| 2nd Vice Chairperson (Female) | Shs 5m | Shs 10m |
| Regional Vice Chairpersons | – | Shs 5m |
| League Chairpersons | – | Shs 1m |
| Executive Members | – | Shs 500,000 |
| District/City Chairperson | – | Shs 500,000 |
| MP Aspirants | – | Shs 3m |
| President | – | Shs 20m |
| Lord Mayor | – | Shs 1.5m |
| LCV Chairperson | – | Shs 1m |
| LC1 Chairperson | – | Shs 10,000 |
Key Dates for NRM Primaries:
- Party Structures Elections: May 6, 2025
- Special Interest Group Committees (Youth, PWDs, Older Persons): May 24, 2025
- Parliamentary Primaries (Constituency, District/City, Women MPs): July 16, 2025
- Municipal/City Division Mayors & Local Government Council Elections: July 24, 2025
- Local Council IV Councilors: August 18, 2025
- Local Council III Elections (Sub-County, Town Councils): August 15, 2025
- Elective National Conference (Presidential Flag Bearer, CEC, and Special Organs): August 25, 2025
