KAMPALA — Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Burundi’s ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party have agreed to strengthen cooperation between their youth, women and veterans’ leagues as part of broader efforts to deepen ties between the two parties.
Speaking at the NRM headquarters in Kampala, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong welcomed a delegation from Burundi led by Reverien Ndikuriyo, Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD party, who attended the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni.
Todwong said the engagement reflected the continued solidarity and cooperation among ruling parties in the region.
“As the National Resistance Movement, we are receiving our brothers and sisters from other parties to thank them for coming to Uganda and joining us in witnessing the swearing-in of the President,” Todwong said.
He praised Burundi for what he described as its organization, cleanliness and clear leadership direction following a recent visit to the country.
“Burundi is a very beautiful country,” Todwong said. “I was extremely impressed with the level of organization, how Burundi is clean, and how the leadership is very clear in the direction the country is going.”
Todwong also wished Burundi’s leadership success in the country’s upcoming elections and reaffirmed the NRM’s commitment to closer cooperation with the CNDD-FDD.
Ndikuriyo emphasized the strong historical and political ties between Uganda and Burundi and praised Uganda’s progress from instability to stability.
He called for stronger engagement between the youth, women and veterans’ leagues of the two ruling parties to promote experience-sharing and solidarity.
The Burundian official emphasized the fact that the youth movement in Uganda and the one in Burundi should interact and meet, the women’s movement in Uganda and the one in Burundi should meet and interact, and the veterans as well.
During their interaction, the NRM secretary general said the party would immediately begin arrangements for exchanges between the leagues.
“The Women’s League of Uganda will interact with the Women’s League of Burundi,” Todwong said. “The same with the Youth League and the Veterans League.”
He added that the planned engagements would serve as the starting point for a broader memorandum of cooperation between the two ruling parties.
“We shall handle the three so that we start from there as we build up the memorandum of cooperation and work together as brothers and sisters,” Todwong said.
He thanked the Burundian delegation for attending the inauguration events in Uganda and reiterated the NRM’s commitment to maintaining strong relations with Burundi’s ruling party.