The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bukomansimbi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Sharp political disputes among party members await the National Resistance Movement-NRM presidential flag bearer Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ahead of his campaign trail in Bukomansimbi district.
The NRM cohesion in Bukomansimbi was affected by controversies that marred the party primary elections, that resulted into a section of party leaders rejecting some flag bearers who they say were not genuinely elected.
The growing dispute was caused by the party Elections Tribunal which nullified the election of Hajj Idi Lubyayi Kisik as NRM parliamentary flag bearer for Bukomansimbi North constituency in favour of incumbent MP Ruth Katushabe who according to results by NRM district elections registrar had been defeated.
NRM party leaders in Bukomansimbi led by Shafick Mwanje, the party district chairperson has since rejected Katushabe’s candidature, arguing that she was erroneously handed the flag based on doctored results from non-existent villages. These are now campaigning for Lubyayi Kisiki, who was nominated as an independent candidate against Katushabe, the NRM flag bearer.
Despite the intervention of the NRM’s Vice Chairperson in charge of Buganda and Minister of State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi to arbitrate, the dispute has continued to haunt the party ahead of the general election.
Alex Ssekigudde the Bukomansimbi Youth Council Chairperson blames the disputes to failure by the party top leadership to listen and fairly resolve the problem on time.
According to Ssekigudde, they petitioned the NRM Secretariat highlighting the mistakes of the tribunal and the likely repercussions but their opinions were ignored.
Besides Bukomansimbi North, another section of NRM members and mobilizers also declined to embrace the candidature of the State Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, the NRM flag bearer for Bukomansimbi Woman MP seat.
Halima Nakawungu the NRM mobilization coordinator in Bukomansimbi who lost to Nakiwala in the party primaries argues that she lost unfairly after the process was manipulated in favour of the minister.
She also argues that it was not proper to hand the NRM party flag to a person who had just crossed from the opposition political party at the expense of a deep-rooted NRM cadre who has been mobilizing for the party in the area.
The underlying political controversies have since led to the establishment of parallel mobilization structures working against the NRM flag bearers in favour of the independents and opposition candidates.
Sowedi Sserwadda, the NRM Publicity Secretary for Bukomansimbi district says that the disputes have now warranted the direct intervention of President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM National Chairperson.
He confirms that it has become difficult for the party to effectively run their campaign in the area due to the lack of cohesion at such a critical moment.
Sserwadda, however, explains that they have notified the party leadership about the problem and requested that President Museveni, while he campaigns in greater Masaka sub region on December 23rd, saves time to meet the leaders from the area to further arbitrate in the disputes.
********
URN
