Museveni Defends Among, Warns NRM Against ‘Politics of Identity’

In a firm yet philosophically charged response to recent internal party tensions, President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday addressed Speaker Rebecca Kadaga’s public criticism of Speaker Anita Among. Kadaga had questioned Among’s rise within the National Resistance Movement (NRM), arguing that her relatively short history in the party should disqualify her from holding a top position.

However, Museveni dismissed that line of thinking as fundamentally flawed, urging party members to view leadership not through the lens of seniority, but through the core values upon which the NRM was built.

“This is not about who has been here longer,” the President asserted. “It is about principles.”

To illustrate his point, Museveni reached for the scriptures, invoking the parable of the labourers in the vineyard from the Gospel of Matthew. In the biblical tale, a landowner pays all his workers the same wage—regardless of whether they had worked all day or just an hour. The landowner’s decision, although challenged by the early labourers, was entirely within his right.

Drawing a parallel with the NRM, Museveni explained that the party—like the vineyard owner—must treat all its members equally, regardless of when they joined. “The party is not a club of veterans,” he said. “It is a movement open to all who are willing to serve the people.”

Warning Against Exclusion and Division

In his address, the President cautioned against what he described as the “politics of identity”—a form of internal discrimination where value is attributed based on how long someone has been part of the organization, rather than their actual contribution to its mission.

“To treat new members as ‘squatters’ is not only insulting—it is a strategic mistake,” he warned. “Other parties have made this error before, and it has cost them dearly.”

He urged senior party members to shift their focus away from gatekeeping and instead dedicate their energy to public service and community transformation.

“If the senior members of the NRM prioritize the Kukyenuura of the People—solving the people’s problems using government programmes like PDM, Emyooga, etc.—there is no way the newcomers can outshine them,” Museveni said.

He emphasized that genuine service to the people is the true measure of political value—not time served within party ranks.

“It is very dangerous for the original members of a political organization to discriminate (kusosola) or okweshaanya (to resent) the new members,” he warned.

A Reflection on His Own Political Journey

In a personal reflection, Museveni drew from his own early years in politics to reinforce his message. He recalled being just 25 years old when he first walked into a Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) office in 1970—an ambitious young man driven by a passion for change.

“I was just a youth, but I had already stirred things up. I was an activist with ideas and vision,” he said.

He posed a rhetorical question to the political establishment: “Why would a clever political planner ignore such a person simply because of their age or how long they’ve been around?”

In Museveni’s view, any political organization that wishes to thrive must be open to fresh energy, new perspectives, and the enthusiasm of those who may not have long tenures but bring with them the potential for impact.

“A political party must embrace all who are willing to contribute,” he concluded. “In political parties, all members should be equal.”

A Message to the NRM Base

Museveni’s remarks appear to be not just a defense of Among, but a broader call for unity and ideological discipline within the NRM. As Uganda inches closer to future elections and the political landscape continues to evolve, his comments serve as a reminder that internal cohesion—grounded in shared goals and mutual respect—may prove more important than internal seniority struggles.

By appealing to scripture, history, and his own experiences, the President reaffirmed a central tenet of the NRM: that leadership is earned through service, not time served.