The Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi, has called on President Museveni to directly reclaim leadership of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) by taking full control of appointments to the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
In a statement on Sunday, Balaam expressed deep concern about what he termed the growing infiltration of moneyed interests in the internal affairs of the ruling party.
“Your Excellency, I respectfully implore you to take full and total control, nominate CEC members, and have the National Delegates Conference approve them,” Balaam said.
He warned that without decisive leadership, the NRM risks straying from its foundational ideology, which was built on the NRA’s protracted liberation struggle, not commercial influence.
“This will ensure that the politics of money have no bearing on the continuity of the NRA/NRM ideology,” he added.
The minister’s remarks come as the party gears up for key internal elections and structural changes, amid speculation about the growing influence of wealthy power blocs within the party.
A former lead mobilizer turned cabinet minister, Balaam stressed the need for the movement to reject transactional politics, insisting that party loyalty and ideological clarity must prevail over financial muscle.
“We must reject the politics of money and ensure our votes are not sold to the highest bidder,” he said.
While Balaam did not name individuals, his comments were widely interpreted as a warning shot against emerging interest groups perceived to be using financial resources to gain political advantage within the party.
The NRM has previously faced criticism from within and outside the party over alleged monetization of politics, especially during internal primaries and delegate selections.
With President Museveni expected to preside over the next National Delegates Conference, Balaam’s call adds a new voice to growing demands for ideological realignment and internal reform within Uganda’s ruling party.
