KAMPALA, UGANDA – The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Chairperson, H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has appointed senior political figures to the party’s highest decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The appointments have been interpreted as a deliberate effort to strengthen the party’s leadership core with deep historical ties, extensive governance experience, and long-standing loyalty to the NRM.
The CEC is the party’s most influential organ, responsible for overseeing policy, guiding leadership decisions, endorsing electoral candidates, and aligning party ideology with national priorities.
The inclusion of seasoned veteran cadres, including Kahinda Otafiire, Rebecca Kadaga, and Jim Muhwezi, is widely seen as an effort to preserve the party’s institutional memory during this period of generational transition.
Major General (Rtd.) Kahinda Otafiire, born in 1950 in Bushenyi (now Mitooma District), is among the original fighters of Uganda’s liberation struggle.
He joined the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1981 and served as Chief Political Commissar during the bush war, central to political mobilization and ideological orientation.
Since 1986, Otafiire has held numerous senior ministerial portfolios, including Local Government, Justice, and East African Affairs, and also served as Director General of the External Security Organisation.
He currently serves as the Minister of Internal Affairs and MP for Ruhinda County. His appointment to the CEC recognizes his enduring influence in defense, security, and party strategy.
Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, born in 1956 in Kamuli District, has been a Member of Parliament since 1989.
She made history in 2011 as the country’s first female Speaker of Parliament, a tenure praised for strengthening parliamentary independence, expanding international engagement, and championing women’s participation in governance.
She now serves as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs. Her CEC appointment affirms her standing among the NRM’s most experienced and influential leaders.
Major General (Rtd.) Jim Muhwezi, born in 1950 in Rukungiri District, is a trained lawyer and retired military officer.
He is a key figure in shaping Uganda’s post-war security institutions, having served as Director General of the Internal Security Organisation, Minister of Health, and Minister of Information.
He now serves as Minister of Security and MP for Rujumbura County. His return to the CEC acknowledges his longstanding service and central role in national security affairs.
The CEC comprises senior party leaders, including regional vice chairpersons, national secretaries, and heads of party commissions. It provides political leadership, formulates and implements party policies, selects flag bearers, and supervises party programs nationwide.
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