A delegation from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), headed by Secretary General Rt Hon Richard Todwong, paid a visit to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party headquarters in Nairobi on Friday. The purpose of the visit was to exchange ideas on party organization, cadre training, and fostering inter-party collaboration.
The NRM representatives held discussions with their UDA counterparts, led by UDA Secretary General Sen. Omar Hassan, focusing on strategies to strengthen political institutions. Among the key proposals was UDA’s interest in having its cadres undergo training at NRM’s National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi.
Secretary General Todwong was accompanied by Maj (Rtd) Awich Pollar, NRM’s Director for External Affairs, and Col Okei Rukogota, Director of NALI.
The visit served as a reciprocal gesture following an earlier visit by a UDA delegation to Kyankwanzi, during which the Kenyan team expressed enthusiasm for establishing a similar political training institute in their own country.
During the engagement, Todwong shared insights on how the NRM evolved from humble beginnings in 1986, when there was a lack of national order, to building a strong institutional framework where cadres are fully engaged in decision-making processes.
“Building our party to its current status required a foundation of revolutionary discipline. That’s why we combined political and military discipline in our training programs,” Todwong explained.
“The military aspect instills a sense of sacrifice and service above self, while political education reshapes and aligns our way of thinking,” he added.
The meeting also followed a formal request by UDA to have its party members trained at NALI as they plan to establish a leadership school of their own.
“The sooner you select those to attend the training, the better. The facility is ready and we’re already conducting training sessions,” Todwong encouraged.
Maj (Rtd) Awich Pollar noted that Uganda’s ongoing election season presents a unique learning opportunity for the visiting UDA members. He emphasized that the trainees would gain valuable exposure to democratic processes at the grassroots.
“This is the perfect time for your delegates to observe. They could attend our national conference, which is part of the electoral cycle,” Pollar noted.
“We could also take them to local communities to witness the transparency of our electoral processes firsthand,” he added.
He further mentioned that the trainees could participate in district-level meetings to gain a deeper understanding of party building, membership mobilization, and organizational sustainability.
On behalf of UDA, Sen. Omar Hassan expressed appreciation to the NRM leadership for welcoming the idea of training their cadres at NALI.
He reiterated UDA’s plan to establish a comprehensive leadership training center that caters to all levels of the party structure—from grassroots organizers to members of the National Executive Council (NEC).
“Our goal is to create a diverse institution—one where individuals from all levels of the party, including minority representatives, can come together, learn, and grow as a united team,” he stated.
