Tororo NRM Leaders  Face Scrutiny Over Alleged Sectarian Remarks

Tororo, Uganda — The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is facing renewed scrutiny in Tororo District following alleged sectarian remarks made by some party leaders during political mobilization ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The NRM explicitly defines itself as a non-sectarian political organization, a principle enshrined in its constitution and regarded as a core pillar of its ideology. Since taking power in 1986.

The party has consistently emphasized the rejection of politics based on identity such as tribe, religion, race, or gender, with President Yoweri Museveni repeatedly warning that sectarianism once fueled division and instability in Uganda.

Despite this long-standing position, recent public statements attributed to some local leaders, including Tororo Municipality’s incumbent Member of Parliament Apollo Yeri Ofwono, have sparked controversy within party ranks and among the public.

Videos have been making rounds on socials with Tororo Municipality Member of Parliament Apollo Yeri Ofwono describing Shyam as a Muhindi who will not be allowed to address any Rally among others statements.

Critics argue that remarks directed at Tororo Municipality parliamentary hopeful Shyam Tanna, a Ugandan of Indian origin, amount to sectarian campaigning that contradicts official NRM policy.

The controversy has prompted growing calls for the NRM Secretariat and disciplinary organs to step in and enforce the party’s non-sectarian code of conduct.

Several party mobilisers and senior cadres in Tororo have warned that failure to act could erode the NRM’s historical gains and undermine the values that have defined the party since its rise to power.

“Sectarianism has no place in the NRM. We are one people and must respect each other,” said one senior party leaders Who spoke on the condition of anonymity and mobiliser in the district.

He urged the Secretariat to take firm action against what he described as leaders who are undermining party ideology and dragging the movement backwards.

According to the NRM Constitution, the party is a national, broad-based, inclusive, democratic, non-sectarian, multi-ideological and progressive mass organization.

National unity and non-sectarianism are among its guiding principles, values the party credits for restoring stability after decades of identity-based politics in Uganda.

Party leaders, including President Museveni, have often argued that sectarianism was a major cause of Uganda’s past conflicts and that the NRM’s success lies in focusing on shared national interests rather than differences.

Under party policy, membership and leadership are open to all Ugandans regardless of ethnic identity, sex, creed, or economic status.

The policy emphasizes merit-based governance and cautions that using sectarianism during elections is a serious offense that can lead to disciplinary action, including removal from office.

Historically, the NRM’s anti-sectarian campaign played a key role in discrediting older political formations that were widely viewed as tribal or religious in orientation.

Tororo District, widely regarded as cosmopolitan, has long reflected this ethos, with public jobs and leadership opportunities shared across communities.

However, some residents and party members now express concern that tribal and ethnic sentiments are resurfacing, particularly in political competition and job recruitment, threatening the district’s social cohesion.

At the center of the current debate is Tororo Municipality MP hopeful Shyam Tanna, who has dismissed what he calls divisive and sectarian attacks from his opponents.

Tanna has urged voters to judge his candidacy on service delivery and development rather than ethnic origin.

“My candidacy should be about roads, jobs, and better services, not where my ancestors came from,” Tanna told residents during a community meeting in Tororo Municipality.

Using a metaphor that drew applause from the crowd, he challenged voters to focus on results rather than background. “All of us have drunk milk.

The last time you took milk, did you go to find out the colour of the cow that gave you that milk?” he asked. “What do we care about? The milk.”

He added that leadership should be evaluated by performance. “If I can deliver services, if I can deliver jobs and better roads, does the colour of the cow really matter?” Tanna said.

As the 2026 elections draw closer, the situation in Tororo has become a test case for the NRM’s commitment to its non-sectarian ideals.

While some party leaders caution against mischaracterizing political competition, others insist that clear boundaries must be enforced to prevent a return to identity-based politics.

For now, the spotlight remains on the NRM leadership in Tororo and the party’s national organs as they weigh whether disciplinary action will be taken and how the movement’s long-standing doctrine of national unity.