The Constitutional Court of Uganda has upheld President Yoweri Museveni’s authority to appoint key officials within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, dismissing a petition that challenged this power. The 2014 amendment grants Museveni, who is the eternal chairperson of the NRM, the right to appoint the party’s secretariat, including the Secretary General, Treasurer, and their deputies.
The petition, filed by NRM member Hamzah Kagimu, argued that Museveni’s appointments infringed on party members’ rights to elect their leaders, violating Article 77(d) of the Constitution which requires political party officials to be regularly elected with due consideration for gender. However, the court ruled in favor of Museveni, noting that as President of Uganda, he enjoys immunity from civil and criminal proceedings under Article 98(a) of the Constitution.
This ruling solidifies Museveni’s control over the NRM’s internal leadership, reinforcing his influence over Uganda’s dominant political party and its direction ahead of upcoming elections. The decision has been met with mixed reactions, with supporters citing party unity and critics warning of concentrated power.