KAMPALA — National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong has described as “completely false” online reports claiming the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) rejected a bid to position Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Uganda’s next president.
In a press statement issued on 12 November 2026 and shared on his X account, Todwong said his attention had been drawn to an online news story regarding a closed-door CEC meeting held on 10 November 2026. The story alleged that the NRM had rejected efforts to position the Chief of Defence Forces as the country’s next leader.
“That story is completely false,” Todwong stated. He clarified that the CEC, as usual, meets to discuss many pertinent issues concerning the general political, social and economic well-being of Ugandans. He added that the party will officially communicate any decisions through the right channels at the appropriate time, and urged the public to disregard false online news that has not been officially released by the party.
The statement comes amid circulating reports, first published by Agence France-Presse (AFP) and later carried by outlets including CGTN Africa and several Ugandan media houses. Those accounts, based on information from five participants who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that during the 10 November meeting at State House Entebbe, some CEC members openly challenged a proposal related to Gen. Muhoozi’s possible succession.
According to the sources, a vote was abandoned after only seven of the 28 members had cast ballots, with four reportedly supporting the proposal and three opposing it. Some members were said to have questioned the general’s readiness for the presidency and raised concerns about his public statements.
The reports also indicated that NRM Second National Vice Chairperson Calvin Echodu had advised President Yoweri Museveni to consider withdrawing his son from active military service and assigning him a civilian role to gain broader experience, while suggesting that the President himself should contest the 2031 elections.
The denial follows weeks of public discussion about Uganda’s political future beyond the current term. In late October, President Museveni is reported to have presented a discussion paper on leadership qualities during an earlier CEC meeting. Supporters of Gen. Muhoozi, particularly through the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) led by Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda, have been actively mobilising and collecting endorsements for a possible 2031 presidential bid.
Mr Kabanda has previously stated that the general intends to contest and has claimed presidential endorsement of the idea.
Mr Todwong has, in earlier interviews, maintained that Gen. Muhoozi is not yet the NRM’s official presidential candidate. In mid-October, he told the New Vision that ongoing signature collections and endorsements reflected the wishes of individual supporters rather than a formal party decision, adding that the NRM would select its flag bearer through its established internal processes at the appropriate time. He has also previously stated that he had not heard the general himself publicly declare an intention to run.
PLU officials, including Kabanda, had already labelled the AFP-based reports as false propaganda in posts on X before Todwong’s official statement. Political observers note that questions of succession within the NRM, which has been in power since 1986, continue to generate intense speculation both inside and outside the party. Todwong’s statement emphasises that any formal position will be communicated officially, underscoring the party’s preference for controlled messaging over unverified accounts of closed-door deliberations.
The development highlights the ongoing tension between formal party structures and parallel mobilisation efforts around Gen. Muhoozi, who remains the Chief of Defence Forces while maintaining a high public and online profile. Neither the NRM nor the President’s office has issued a definitive statement on whether Museveni will seek another term in 2031 or formally endorsed a successor.
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