Museveni campaign meeting leaves Luwero NRM leaders divided

Luwero, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The campaign meetings of National Resistance Movement presidential candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have divided the party leaders and supporters in Luwero district.

On Monday, President Yoweri Museveni met 200 NRM flag bearers, incumbent Members of Parliament, selected secretariat and district party officials at Presidential Demonstration farm located at Kawumu village in Makulubita Sub County.  

Several senior party leaders including Al Hajji Abdul Nadduli, Mathias Kasamba the Director of Mobilization at NRM Secretariat and Rogers Mulindwa the Spokesperson of NRM Secretariat were turned away on grounds that they were not invited. 

Museveni explained that he decided to hold a small meeting over COVID- 19 rules.

But Several NRM supporters and party leaders in Luwero are questioning the criteria used to select those who attended as well as leaving out others.

Others say the strategy can’t counteract the National Unity Platform Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu who is making in-roads in the area.

Livingstone Kategeya the NRM candidate for LCIII Chairperson of Kamira Sub County says that the leader who represented his area lost credibility and can’t persuade any resident to vote Museveni.

Kategeya adds that some leaders in old structures are no longer active in the party and it was wrong to invite them to lead Museveni’s campaign task force.

Namugera Nkokonyole the NRM Chairperson for Kakookolo village in Luwero town council says that some of NRM leaders including MPs and Ministers have platforms where they meet Museveni so often. 

Nkokonyole adds that the meeting could have been left to grass-root mobilizers and could have been met at constituency levels while observing the COVID 19 guidelines. 

He added that Museveni’s strategy of addressing through television broadcasts is not effective since many don’t own TV or radio sets.

Abdul Kivumbi a veteran at Kikubajinja village says that some of the leaders who attended the meeting are after money and can’t mobilize support for Museveni.

Kivumbi adds that it’s unfortunate that they are the same people granted access to Museveni leaving those who are always on the ground with the voters.

Paul Mukungu, the LCIII Chairperson of Luwero town said that he wanted to meet President Museveni and remind him about the unfulfilled pledges to his area which may affect his votes.

Mukungu added that even ordinary supporters want to see him like other candidates and this can be done with the observance of COVID 19 guidelines. 

Mukungu asked NRM secretariat and State House aides to revisit the selection process in other meetings if they are to match the speed of Museveni’s rivals. 

But Wasswa Tamale the NRM Spokesperson for Luwero district says that because of COVID 19 rules, not all mobilizers could meet Museveni.

He added some are complaining because they missed the opportunity to ask for facilitation to campaign for Museveni which is already addressed in his mobilization strategy. 

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