Museveni softens on independents

Kampala

Unhappy Members of Parliament who lost in the August 31 NRM primaries, on Wednesday night cajoled President Museveni into softening his hardline position on the issue of party members running as independents. Five days ago, the President declared that he would not tolerate NRM members running as independents as happened in 2006, saying they would confuse party supporters.

Two reasons
But at the Wednesday night meeting of the NRM parliamentary caucus, which was called by Mr Museveni to defuse tension that has been building up inside the party, the legislators told the President that they will stand as independents for two reasons.

They argued that a failure by the party electoral commission to consider their petitions contesting the election results in good time would leave them with little choice. And, that the same body failed to organise free and fair elections resulting in their unfair ejection.

According to sources who attended the meeting but who are not authorised to speak on behalf of the party, Bundibugyo Woman MP Jane Babiiha Alisemera reportedly told the President that they want to be given the chance to fight “the political war and we are sure we shall win it”. “Your Excellency, I was surprised to hear your statement that you will not tolerate any independents. It was a bold one and was carried in the newspapers but are you the President that I have always known as a good listener?” she reportedly asked. “You went to the bush to fight political injustice. How can you make such a statement before consulting us and actually knowing what really happened?”

On behalf of their colleagues, James Kubeketerya (Bunya), Rose Akol (Bukedea Woman) and Minister for Planning Ephraim Kamuntu, all spoke about the widespread irregularities which marred the voting and tallying process.

The President is said to have been touched by their sentiments. “I have withdrawn my statement,” Mr Museveni reportedly said after some reflection. He then asked the party national vice chairman, Al Hajj Moses Kigongo, to lead an investigation into why the party primaries were flawed and report back to him within one week.

MPs John Kigyagyi, Ruth Kavuma Nvumenta and Dora Byamukama will assist in the investigation.
At the same meeting, sources say, the President also indicated that some senior security officers, who he did not name, were asking why politicians are behaving in a manner which is destabilising the country.

Military concerned
Party Chief Whip Daudi Migereko yesterday told this newspaper that the President was trying to express the discomfort of the military at the politically-inspired violence which broke out in several areas during the primaries. “What he (the President) told us is that soldiers were questioning the behaviour of some political actors which destabilises an otherwise tranquil political environment by instigating violence during campaigns,” Mr Migereko said.

“The way I understood it is that he was delivering a message from the army that we political actors should pull up our socks because our behaviour is being questioned by the soldiers.”
Other sources report that Mr Museveni again counselled the losers, saying they should not worry because “there are many slots in their father’s house”, a reference to the possibility of them finding employment in his government. “You shouldn’t see Parliament as a matter of life and death because there is life after Parliament. Politics is about managing society and so the losers failed to manage the society which threw them out,” he said.

Giving the example of Mubende Woman MP Farida Kasasa, who he said approached him before the primaries with the request to serve him and the party in any other capacity, Mr Museveni revealed: “Now, I have given her a desk in my office.” Taking the cue, Ntenjeru MP Sarah Nyombi immediately announced that she has accepted defeat and was willing to serve the party and the President in any other capacity.