- Top NRM officials led by President Museveni are in Kenya for official engagements.
- The delegation, received by UDA, will hold a four-day consultative visit.
- Their arrival follows UDA’s earlier visit to Uganda in February for party-building discussions.
- Chaos erupted in Uganda after some Kenyans allegedly took part in NRM grassroots elections.
- Talks will focus on shared political goals, leadership models, and regional cooperation.
A high-powered team from Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), under the leadership of President Yoweri Museveni, has landed in Kenya for a four-day political visit. The team was welcomed by United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi upon arrival in Nairobi.
The trip is part of an invitation extended by UDA’s Secretary General, Hassan Omar, to strengthen ties between the two ruling parties.
NRM Leadership Team Expected to Expand Dialogue
Heading the visiting delegation are Awich Pollar Awich, NRM’s Director of External Affairs, and Okei Rukogota of the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi. NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong is also scheduled to join the group during their stay for broader consultations with UDA leaders.
The two sides are expected to explore collaborative political efforts and share experiences in party structure and grassroots leadership.
Cross-Border Voting Incident Adds Tension
The visit comes amid reports of unrest in Uganda, where several Kenyans were allegedly involved in NRM grassroots elections. According to Busia District NRM Chairperson Eric Masiga, voting in some areas was halted after chaos broke out when foreigners insisted on participating.
Villages in Buteba Sub County and the Eastern Division were among the most affected, with elections there being cancelled to prevent further disruptions.
UDA’s Past Visit to Uganda Sets the Stage
Earlier this year, a 19-member UDA team led by Hassan Omar had visited Uganda for a week-long retreat. During that visit, they held talks with President Museveni and key NRM officials to discuss leadership, party discipline, and policy building.
The UDA delegation also toured the NRM Leadership Academy—an institution Kenya’s ruling party now hopes to replicate as part of its internal capacity building.
Shared Ideals Between the Two Parties
NRM official Awich Pollar described the relationship between the two ruling parties as one rooted in shared political vision. He emphasized that both parties seek to improve the livelihoods of citizens and drive the East African political unity agenda forward.
“The mission is to uplift communities and promote regional federation,” Pollar said.
Long-Term Admiration from Kenya’s UDA
UDA’s admiration for NRM’s long-standing political presence is not new. In October 2024, a smaller UDA team had traveled to Uganda, expressing their interest in learning from NRM’s stable structure.
Joash Maangi, one of the visiting delegates at the time, said UDA aimed to grow beyond Kenya’s election-cycle-based party model and instead adopt more permanent political structures.
“We see a strong foundation in NRM that we want to learn from,” Maangi noted.
UDA Sees NRM as Learning Partner
UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar lauded NRM’s experience, calling their governance track record a great case study. He noted that the Kenyan party values these exchanges, as they offer practical lessons in resilience, organization, and long-term political planning.
