Uganda’s ruling party, the National Resistance Movement, and Malawi’s United Democratic Front have pledged to strengthen cooperation and deepen political ties following a high level meeting between leaders of the two parties in Kampala.
Speaking at the NRM headquarters on Wednesday, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong welcomed Atupele Austin Muluzi and his delegation, who were in Uganda to attend the swearing in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni.
Todwong said the two leaders had developed a longstanding relationship after meeting during a training course in China and expressed optimism about expanding cooperation between the two political parties.
“We want to build the synergies of working together. We want to build our cooperation to another level. We look forward to a better future of cooperation between the parties,” Todwong said.
He described Uganda as a peaceful and stable country with strong potential for continued economic and political growth, while also reflecting on the historical evolution of the NRM from a liberation movement into a dominant political party.
Todwong explained that after taking power in 1986, the NRM operated under the Movement system, which promoted individual merit instead of party based politics following years of divisions rooted in religion and tribalism.
According to Todwong, Uganda later reintroduced multi-party politics through constitutional reforms, paving the way for the formal transformation of the movement into the National Resistance Movement party in 2006.
“From 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and now 2026, we have continued winning national elections. We are growing in strength, expanding our membership and deepening our partnerships in villages and communities,”he said.
Todwong said the NRM inherited a country in crisis in 1986 after years of political instability and economic collapse that followed Uganda’s independence from Britain in 1962.
He credited the government under President Museveni for rebuilding the country through gradual economic recovery, infrastructure development and improvements in social services.
Todwong also thanked the Malawian delegation for visiting Uganda and reaffirmed the NRM’s commitment to strengthening ties with political partners across Africa.
Speaking on behalf of the Malawian delegation, Muluzi congratulated the NRM and President Museveni upon the inauguration ceremony and the beginning of a new term in office.
“I would like to wish you all the very best,” Muluzi said.
Muluzi also conveyed greetings from former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi, the founding patron of the UDF, as well as from Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera.
He described the engagement as important in strengthening relations between political parties and promoting broader cooperation between Uganda and Malawi.
