The incumbent National Resistance Movement (NRM) Chairperson for Soroti City, Willy Bisanga, has issued of warned the potential implosion of the ruling party from within, accusing unnamed individuals of undermining the party’s internal democratic processes through financial manipulation and procedural shortcuts.
In a candid and fiery social media post published late Thursday night, Bisanga expressed concern that NRM is drifting away from its founding values, with the emergence of individuals allegedly using money to ascend to higher positions without passing through the mandatory grassroots election structures.
“Surely Yellow books were sent back to Kampala and people we can’t easily verify are paying to compete for higher positions without going through lower village, ward, and division levels. Then what was the use of primaries?” Bisanga wrote. “I foresee opposition killing NRM from within.”
Bisanga’s remarks come just hours ahead of the Soroti City NRM elections, scheduled to take place today at Teso College Aloet East playfield.
The contest has drawn wide interest, with Bisanga seeking reelection against stiff competition from Abdul Latiff, Anthony Egunyu, and John Enemy.
His post, laced with frustration, criticized what he called “the purpose of raising cash” as a corrosive influence within the party. “Why did we struggle to go to our villages, wards to participate at those levels, and then others take shortcuts to higher positions because they have money to bribe their way upstairs?” he added.
The “Yellow books” referenced by Bisanga are official NRM registers used to verify legitimate party members and delegates at different administrative levels.
According to Bisanga, the books were recently returned to the NRM Secretariat in Kampala under unclear circumstances, a move he believes has paved the way for the entry of non-genuine contenders.
Party insiders say that tensions have been building in Soroti as longstanding mobilizers and grassroots leaders feel increasingly sidelined by late entrants armed with money and political connections. Some fear that the integrity of the elections is at stake.
While Bisanga’s post resonated with many local NRM members who have spent years serving the party at the grassroots, others have viewed it as politically motivated.
“This is nothing more than panic. Bisanga has seen the numbers and is worried he may lose. But rather than campaign on his record, he’s now attacking the process,” said a supporter of one of his opponents.
Still, the post has triggered a larger conversation about the state of internal democracy within the NRM, especially as the party gears up for the 2026 general elections.
Political observers say such complaints, if not addressed promptly, could lead to widespread dissatisfaction within the party’s rank and file, particularly in areas like Teso where loyalty to the party has historically been high but not unquestioned.
“This speaks to a deeper malaise within the NRM structures,” said one political analyst in Soroti. “Grassroots participation is being eroded by money and central interference. If this trend continues, the NRM risks alienating its most committed members, and the opposition will only be too glad to take advantage.”
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