The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has cancelled his presidential campaigns in Entebbe municipality to attend National Thanksgiving Prayers at State House. The prayers are held annually by the Inter-Religious Council.
According to the Electoral Commission’s campaign schedule, Museveni was expected to hold campaign meetings in Kisoro on Thursday and in Entebbe municipality on Friday.
However, Don Wanyama, the senior press secretary to the president says Museveni won’t be campaigning today. He’s slated to lecture students from the National Defence College, Kenya at his Rwakitura country home. Tomorrow, he will preside over National Thanksgiving Prayers and return to the trail on Saturday in Kabale where he will also meet selected leaders from Kisoro district at Kigezi College Butobere.
His campaign meeting in Entebbe will now be held on December 29th.
Stephen Kabuye, the chairperson NRM Entebbe branch says that the NRM secretariat and Museveni’s protocol team informed the local leaders on Wednesday that Museveni would only be presiding over National prayers in Entebbe.
Kabuye says at the time of the announcement, the leaders in Entebbe were yet to conclude on activities and venue for the presidential campaign meeting.
Some of the NRM leaders who have talked to URN say Museveni’s campaign meeting could be held at the playground opposite Entebbe central market or playground for Comprehensive Secondary School in Lugonjo and Katabi-Kitubulu playground.
Michael Mutebi Kabwama, current Entebbe Division A chairperson and NRM candidate for Entebbe municipality mayoral seat says members are canvassing votes for all flag bearers despite challenges from within the party following the heated primaries and also the opposition.
Jolly Kiconco and Christine Namonywe Oonyu, residents of Post office and NRM village leaders say that Museveni’s campaign meetings come at a time when the party’s popularity in the area is threatened by the emergence of National Unity Platform-NUP and NRM leaning independent candidates.
Oonyu says the president must address the concerns of the electorate about the actions of the Fisheries Protection Unit personnel deployed on Lake Victoria.
Kiconco also says women in the area have also faced challenges accessing funds under the Women Empowerment Fund.
In Kisoro, the cancellation has angered some leaders. Abel Bizimana, Kisoro LCV chairperson says that the President’s campaign in the area was overdue. He says that they were planning to remind him about his unfulfilled pledges of tarmacking tourism roads, construction of John Kale Institute of Science and Technology and expansion of Kisoro Airfield among others.
Peninah Habyara, National Resistance Movement (NRM) party woman councillor flag bearer representing Kisoro municipality says that Museveni should spare time and travel to Kisoro to show the electorate that he has them at heart.
She also says that leaders are not ready to travel to Kabale to meet the President yet they had already prepared to meet him in Kisoro.
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