KAMPALA — More than 60 Independent Members of Parliament have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) today, Thursday, establishing a formal framework for cooperation in Parliament.
The agreement, signed at the Office of the Government Chief Whip, with guidance from the NRM Legal Director, Enoch Barata, allows the legislators to participate in NRM parliamentary caucus meetings, support government business and work with the ruling party in implementing its 2026–2031 manifesto.
The cooperation was witnessed by the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rt.Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko and National Treasurer, Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oudo.
Deputy Secretary General, Namayanja, said the agreement formalises a working relationship that had already begun before the 12th Parliament was sworn in.
Namayanja also credited the Independents for contributing to President Yoweri Museveni's victory in the general election.
"Many of you contested as independents, but you campaigned alongside President Museveni and contributed to the 71 per cent mandate he received. We are proud of that achievement," she said.
She explained that many of the legislators had approached the party leadership even before taking the oath of office to express interest in collaborating with the NRM.
"The Memorandum of Understanding is basically creating a framework of collaboration in implementing the NRM Manifesto. Implementation means supporting government positions in Parliament and participating in party activities while carrying out your responsibilities as Members of Parliament."
Namayanja stressed that the arrangement is founded on mutual goodwill and is not unprecedented.
"This is not the first or second cooperation agreement with Independent Members of Parliament. We have had similar arrangements before, and they have benefited both the party and the Members of Parliament," Namayanja said.
She added that while the NRM continues to improve the management of its internal elections, it remains the country's only political party that fields candidates across virtually every elective position nationwide, making its primary elections among the most complex to organize.
Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo, the NRM National Treasurer, welcomed the legislators and commended them for choosing to associate with a party which means well for the population.
"We started this journey immediately after the elections when President Museveni advised that Independent Members of Parliament who are NRM-leaning should be invited to participate in the Kyankwanzi retreat," she said during Thursday's signing ceremony.
Nekesa emphasised that the agreement should not be interpreted as a formal defection to the ruling party but as formalising working relations.
"These Members of Parliament have not crossed to the NRM. What they have done is create a framework to work with the government in power so that services can easily reach their constituents through implementation of the NRM Manifesto."
Government Chief Whip, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, said the Independent MPs voluntarily sought the cooperation arrangement with the NRM.
She said the MoU allows them to participate in NRM caucus meetings and support party positions on government business, including Bills and motions before Parliament.
"As Government Chief Whip, I welcome them and look forward to working together in promoting unity, discipline and effective coordination in Parliament to ensure better service delivery to the population," Dr Acheng said.
Speaking on behalf of the Independent legislators, Rwampara East MP, who is also their whip, Charles Ngabirano, said the decision was driven by the need to ensure their constituents benefit from the implementation of the manifesto endorsed by Ugandan voters.
"Political parties contest elections on the basis of their manifestos, and Ugandans chose the NRM manifesto. As Independent Members of Parliament, our responsibility is to ensure our people benefit from its implementation."
Ngabirano said most of those who signed the agreement were former NRM members who had contested the party's internal elections before running as independents.
The Director of Legal Services at NRM, Counsel Enoch Barata, reiterated that members read and fully understood the terms and conditions before they signed the agreements.
"Nobody has been enticed with rewards or coerced to associate with us," Barata said.
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