President Museveni has suspended elections for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Entrepreneurs League amid serious allegations of bribery and irregularities, as two wealthy businessmen, Hassan Basajjabalaba and Ceasar Mulenga, clash for the top leadership position. The vote, meant to elect the Chairperson of the Entrepreneurs League to the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), has been postponed indefinitely pending further guidance from the NRM Electoral Commission.
The rivalry between Basajjabalaba, a city-based tycoon with extensive investments in education and real estate, and Mulenga, an industrialist from southwestern Uganda, has reportedly divided delegates and sparked claims of massive vote buying. Sources within the party allege that both camps distributed cash to sway voters, while some delegates were reportedly transported to neighboring Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda to disrupt rival campaigns.
The tense atmosphere led former Tororo Municipality MP Sanjay Tanna to withdraw from the race, citing the toxic environment. “Many delegates who were supposed to vote for us were missing from their constituencies. Some were herded out of the country and others locked up in hotels. To avoid tearing apart the party, I have chosen to step aside,” Tanna told reporters. His exit followed that of incumbent league chairperson, Mbarara City North MP Mwesigwa Rukaari, who opted not to seek re-election, focusing instead on his parliamentary seat.
The suspension highlights growing tensions within the NRM, with the Entrepreneurs League vote becoming one of the party’s most divisive contests in recent memory. Allegations of bribery, intimidation, and internal clashes have raised concerns about the party’s credibility ahead of the 2026 general elections. Museveni’s intervention underscores the seriousness of the feud, and the NRM Secretariat is expected to announce new election timelines after reviewing the complaints.