National
NRM concedes defeat in Mbale by-election
Mr Werikhe
Posted Thursday, February 18 2010 at 00:00
The ruling NRM was quick to congratulate Mbale by election winner John Wamanga Wamai yesterday — and admitted he had scored “a deserved win.”
“It is a testimony that Ugandans believe and have trust in the democratisation process being supervised by NRM,” said the party’s spokeswoman Ms Karooro Okurut.
And while bowing graciously to the government’s defeat, she warned State Housing Minister Michael Werikhe, of tough disciplinary action if it was proved that he was responsible for the alleged shooting of one voter.
In his defence
Mr Werikhe’s police escort allegedly opened fire on supporters of Dr Shinyabulo Mutende, an independent candidate, injuring one of them.
But Mr Werikhe told the Daily Monitor yesterday: “I did not order anybody to shoot but my bodyguard just got out after we had been hit by another vehicle and shot in the air to disperse the crowd that was edging towards us.”
“NRM hereby concedes defeat and congratulates the winner and all other candidates for entering the race, which is a testimony that Ugandans believe and have trust in the democratisation process being supervised by NRM [government],” said Ms Karooro.
Maturity
For a regime aware that it is being closely scrutinised domestically by diplomats accredited to Kampala and keenly watched by Washington, Ms Okurut’s take spins public relation the right way.
First, it shows political maturity; a scarce decency in our murky power fights. Then with it, the virtuous trappings of tolerance.
In spite of an opposition win, Mr Olara Otunnu, the former UN under-secretary for Children and Armed Conflict, now a UPC party presidential aspirant who camped in Mbale in the final days to the voting is furious the election was a “sham”.
But EC Spokesman Charles Ochola dismissed Mr Otunnu’s assertion, advising him and Mr David Walyemira, the UPC candidate flag bearer, to “accept defeat.”
The by-election drew seven candidates and as final tallies later confirmed, the real contest was between the eventual winner Mr Wamai (who garnered 4, 776 votes) and NRM’s Mr Wambogo and Dr Mutende who each collected 3, 875 and 1, 199 votes, respectively.
‘Prodigal’ son
Dr Mutende threw his political hat in the ring as a prodigal movement son, claiming he was cheated during NRM primaries in which Mr Wambogo was picked as the party flag bearer.
If he had dropped out as advised, and assuming his supporters unanimously voted for Mr Wambogo, then NRM would have obtained a total 5, 074 votes, some 298 higher to beat FDC’s Wamai.
As Ms Okurut said in a postmortem yesterday, this was a throw-away victory by her party fractured by intrigue and unproductive rivalry. The loss has driven the plea for party cohesion.
By trumpeting alleged irregularities before the vote and suddenly turning hush-hush after winning, FDC is exposed in bad light; a party only so vocal, if not agitated, when it loses.
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