By Faruk KirundaIt was announced last week that President Museveni, the national chairman of the NRM, had nominated a new crop of top leaders for the ruling party.
The appointees are Justine Kasule Lumumba as secretary general to replace Amama Mbabazi; Richard Todwong as her deputy to replace Dorothy Hyuha; Rose Namayanja as treasurer to replace Amelia Kyambadde; and Kenneth Omona as her deputy to replace Singh Katongole.
The announcement, although a breaking news item, was a culmination of a series of activities involving consultations at all levels.
You can think here about the Kyankwanzi retreat of the NRM caucus in January, sub-county meetings with leaders, meetings of President Museveni with several youth groups from all regions, several meetings of the central executive committee and finally the national executive committee plus the delegates' conference.
The consultations returned a desire by members for a review of the workings of NRM and to pave way for constitutional amendments that would institutionalise harmony and efficiency.
It is at the top of that chain of activity that Chairman Museveni took on his responsibility by naming a new team to move the party forward.
Conspicuously, the new party top 'dogs' fall outside the 1986 NRM/NRA bush war historical league.
Although they were all born by then, they are non-participants in the earlier struggles of NRM and, tellingly, joined along the way. Their ascent to the high positions therein indicates a generational shift from the old guard to the new one.
They can be said to have come of age. NRM has grown from a fighter outfit to a universal party, comprising membership from across the entire spectrum of society and led on modern and innovative democratic principles as opposed to a limited organ of dominance by the old guard. The youths are taking the baton, with a greater role both to excel and to make own mistakes.
Gratitude must be extended to the bush war leaders for laying the hard foundation and mentoring a new generation to carry the party forward.
We call on them not to dump the party reigns on the heads of the new leadership.They should always be available to offer consultancy and remind everybody of the founding principles that have enabled the NRM to overcome challenges for all this time.
Young people should celebrate the leadership switch with the knowledge that party work isn't for the top leadership only but all members working together.
Failures at the top are failures radiating from down. That trust shouldn't be broken as NRM's challenges and expectations soar.
In 2014, NRM youths tended to be torn apart by several interests tagging for their loyalty but our party has never been short of strong leadership with President Museveni at the helm.
Every incident seemingly explosive for ordinary observers is an event for him to review and update his leadership strategy.
This is why while some leaders of other parties kept trailing activities of the NRM and commentating that its "waterloo" had come, the party has defied them by far.
Museveni's choice of the quartet is based on his knowledge of their competences as individuals and leadership abilities. He could have selected any other but it's not possible to pick everyone at the same time. The chosen ones require support from all corners to prove themselves.
Generally, NRM is better equipped to go into the next phase of elections, which commences this year with grassroots activities.
More youthful personalities are expected and required to seek and vie for office at national and local levels. The process to hand important decision-making roles to them is in high gear.
No one should shy away or feel threatened to rise up to the challenge; they should play within the limit of the rules or call for their amendment where they aren't found consistent with best practices.
As they say, those who resist change are subject to change. In NRM, change is accommodated, basing on the overwhelming demand of those with the mandate to judge, the members. In Bugiri - where Lumumba hails from - and Busoga at large, NRM's strength is proven. What remains is to serve.
Happy New Year 2015 to all Ugandans!
The author is a presidential aide for media management.