The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & URN | Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has capped a bitterly fought contest for the seat of her party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) 2nd Vice Chairperson by thanking National Resistance Movement (NRM) delegates for voting for her.
“The last couple of weeks have confirmed to the country and to the world that in the NRM, democracy is not just a word we talk about but one that we practice. It gives confidence to our members that they have a strong say in the Party they love so much,” she said in a twitter post.
“Yesterday’s victory was not just mine but the Party’s win,” she said in her thank you message. “I would like to thank the delegates from all the districts for trusting me for yet another term on CEC.”
She however added that, ” With the CEC elections now past us, let us move past politics of hate and blackmail and focus on that which will make our Party stronger and attractive to both the young and old.”
The thank you message came an hour after deleted an earlier messaged, in which she had thanked those who campaigned and voted for her “despite harassment and blackmail by state agencies. Am particularly proud of the ministers and members of parliament who stood by me amidst threats by Ruth Nankabirwa.”
Kadaga beat State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza to retain her position as the second National Vice Chairperson for the NRM-party during polls held on Thursday. Kadaga polled 6,776 votes against Namuganza’s 3,943 votes.
Namuganza had built her campaign on a bill that sailed through parliament against the ruling party under Kadaga’s stewardship, specifically riding on a displeasure motion against President Yoweri Museveni as one of the reasons Kadaga should be ejected from CEC. However, NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo Lumala and vice-chairman Alhaji Moses Kigongo advised her against proceeding that way.
The campaign was complicated when the government chief whip Ruth Nankabirwa openly accused Kadaga of working with and for the opposition and using NRM for personal gain. Kadaga’s handlers however defended the speaker’s stance in parliament saying she depicts neutrality in a house that comprises of both government and opposition legislators.
Nankabirwa has since said that it is not true that she threatened and harassed voters but says she used the right to free expression to campaign for a candidate she thought would work better in the Central Executive Committee of NRM.
“I didn’t threaten anybody and I did not move away from my constituency in Kiboga, I stayed at my home, how did I threaten anybody? I want to hear her words towards reconciliation,” Nankabirwa told URN this afternoon.
Nankabirwa’s role in Parliament is to ensure that all government activities are coordinated. By her role, the Speaker works hand in hand with the government chief whip to ensure effective execution of activities in Parliament.
Attempts to contact the NRM secretariat on the bickering of the members was fruitless by this evening.
Hon. Speaker, you should know that people do not want to play politics of hate but when they find themselves in a situation of lacking the basic needs, they do whatever it takes to get the post as they run away from poverty. Are you aware the country is blighted by a manufactured poverty? so you be ready to face hate so long as you are still in active politics.In Uganda any business belongs to people who are in power they come for their money from you through heavy tax. No employment as all the so called investors of the republic’s president come with their relatives to employ and then they employee the citizens to do for them potery- like-work. the only post free for the poor Ugandans is is political offices. Please be ready for any hate for survival.