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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The new National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Buganda caucus Members of Parliament led by their Chairperson James Kakooza have said that the newly created caucus is meant to popularize President Museveni’s sole candidature in Buganda.
On Sunday, Buganda NRM MPs sitting at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi elected a parallel seven-member caucus executive committee to the original Buganda Parliamentary Caucus chaired by Mukono South MP Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga and deputized by Mpigi Woman MP Sarah Nakawunde.
The move has since been criticized by sections of the public who say that it is meant to divide MPs in the Buganda region and overshadow the existing caucus. The executive of the new parallel NRM Buganda Caucus is chaired by Kabula County MP James Kakooza, deputized by Nakaseke South MP Syda Bumba with Kasanda South MP Simeo Nsubuga as the Publicity Secretary.
The other members on the executive are Treasure Muyanja Mbabaali the Bukoto South MP, Bukoto Mid-West MP Kasozi Muyomba (Secretary), Bukuya County MP Michael Bukenya (Committee Member), Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa (Ex-Official) and Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kahamba Kuteesa as the Patron.
Addressing a press conference at Parliament on Thursday, James Kakooza said that as NRM MPs they realized that for the past three years the caucus leadership had not made any efforts to meet President Yoweri Museveni to lobby for the region, unlike other parts.
Kakooza says that after the amendment of the presidential age limit in the Constitution, it would be hard for some of their leaders to lobby the President as they do not believe in some of the party resolutions.
He says that it will be hard for them to reach out to the president as one cannot lobby from someone you want to leave power.
Kakooza says that they are to ensure that no person in Buganda stands against President Museveni during the upcoming presidential elections. Museveni was endorsed by the NRM Parliamentary Caucus and Central Executive Committee (CEC) as a sole candidate in the party.
Simeo Nsubuga says that their new group has not disregarded the original Buganda Caucus since they still subscribe to it. He emphasized that their new group will embark on the promotion of sole candidature in Buganda.
Ssenyonga spoke out on the parallel Caucus noting that no one has stopped the new group from popularizing President Museveni and that he does not stop anyone from supporting their candidate.
He also maintains that he is still the Chairperson of the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus emphasizing. He says that he will continue executing his duties until his 5-year term elapses.
“You cannot say that because I said no to the Constitutional Amendment, I am bad, I have no fight with President Museveni whatever they are saying that I side a lot with the Mengo government, I will always relay messages from Mengo since it also works with the Central Government, what is the problem,” said Ssenyonga.
Ssenyonga appealed to fellow MPs to avoid divisions and continue working together and being loyal to the Buganda Kingdom despite the political affiliations.
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