Lumumba orders NRM executive members contesting in primaries to take leave

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Secretary General of National Resistance Movement – NRM has directed all executive committee members in party structures who have been nominated to participate in primaries to take leave of office with immediate effect.

Justine Kasule Lumumba says that the cardinal duty of executive committees at every level is to support and ensure the ongoing process of internal elections is well coordinated and managed.

Lumumba observes that when an executive committee member opts to be a candidate in the internal elections of the party, he/she doesn’t only put herself/ himself in a position of conflict of interest but will have abdicated the cardinal duty.

In her internal memo dated 25th August 2020 addressed to NRM district chairpersons, copied to registrars and administrative secretaries among others, Lumumba has directed all members of NRM executive committees at all levels who have been nominated to contest in primaries to take leave of office in respect to the positions they hold.

Lumumba adds that those affected should ensure they hand over their office to the next leader in the administrative hierarchy of their particular executive committee of the party.

She said that letters of leave of office should be addressed to the next person in the hierarchy and copied to district NRM registrar and administrative secretary.

Lumumba said that failure to comply with the directive could attract appropriate sanctions on those leaders who continue to canvass for votes as candidates and still holding positions in the executive committees of the party.

All the NRM district administrative secretaries have been directed to submit compliance reports by close of Friday 28th August 2020.

David Kamugisha, the Luweero district NRM registrar has confirmed receiving the memo and said majority of the district executive committee members are expected to take leave since they were nominated in party primaries.

Rebecca Nalwanga, the Luweero district NRM secretary who is also contesting for district Woman MP ticket says that the directive by Lumumba is not backed by party constitution and is selective in application.

Nalwanga questioned why members of lower NRM executive committees must take leave yet members of Central Executive Committee didn’t do the same. She adds that if such rules are binding, they must apply to all those holding party positions not the a few.

Zenar Nasur, the NRM vice chairperson of Luweero district who is also contesting for district Woman MP says she has no problem taking leave so long as party activities will not be affected in a situation where most of them will be away.

Rogers Mulindwa, the NRM secretariat spokesperson says that the directive is in good faith because the executive committee members who are contesting in primaries no longer have time to do party activities as they spend most time campaigning for their seats.

According to revised road map of National Resistance Movement, the primaries for district Woman and Constituency Member of Parliament are scheduled on September 4th, 2020.

The primaries for LC 5 Chairperson, Mayors and Councilors will be held on September 11th this year.

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