NRM nominates 1,500 candidates

The National Resistance Movement has cleared a total of 1,519 candidates to contest on the party flag. According to a list obtained by Saturday Monitor, these will contest for directly elected Parliamentary seats, the woman seat for every district and LC5 chairperson.

Seventy contenders, whose academic papers are yet to be cleared by the National Council for Higher Education have been given “partial nomination,” NRM Electoral Commission officials said.

Only 18 of the 815 nominated candidates for the directly elected parliamentary slots across the country went through unopposed. There are 381 women seeking election on the party ticket for the district woman MP in the 114 districts. Only six of these are unopposed.

A total of 323 candidates were cleared to contest for district position as LC5 chairpersons. Only eight are unopposed. Among those facing challengers are Ruhama MP and First Lady Janet Museveni. She faces Hannington Musasizi until now unknown on the political scene. NRM Secretary General Amama Mbabazi, Trade Minister Kahinda Otafiire, Foreign Affairs’ Sam Kutesa and Vice President Gilbert Bukenya all face challengers in their constituencies.

Prof Bukenya had earlier appeared unopposed but the final list shows a woman challenger nominated for Busiro North Constituency. The list shows majority of those contesting in the newly created constituencies are unopposed.

Former Ethics and Integrity Minister Tim Lwanga, seeking a return to politics after losing to a radio journalist Moses Kabuusu, sailed through unopposed in the party nominations. Mr Kabusu is, however, expected to seek re-election as an independent.
Parliament Speaker Edward Ssekandi and his deputy both successfully fended off opposition for Bukoto North and Kamuli District woman respectively.

The internal party elections are set for August 30 and will be by universal adult suffrage. The NRM says it is fronting a candidate for every electable position across the country right from LC1 to the Presidency.

The elected primary candidates will, however, expect challengers from other political parties as well as independents. Currently there are 215 constituency representatives and 79 women representatives in the 8th Parliament but the number is expected to increase in the 9th Parliament owing to the newly created districts and constituencies.

The NRM is yet to select flag bearers for youth and other special interest groups like workers and persons with disabilities who have five slots each in Parliament.
The NRM Electoral Commission chairperson, Mr Felicity Magomu, declined to comment on the list saying they had not released it officially.

“Who gave you that list? My list is different from what you are telling me and I do not know where you got that one from,” she said. But the party conducted open nominations and the candidates have already hit the campaign trail less than 10 days to voting day.

Isreal Kayonde a member of the NRM electoral commission said the final list will be made available to the media next week. Other candidates that went through unopposed to contest for direct constituencies include government chief whip Daudi Migereko, (Butembe), State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru (Amuria County) and Energy Minister Hillary Onek (Lamwo County).

Others are former ministers Igeme Nabeta and Mr Felix Okot Ogong.
President Museveni’s former Principal Private Secretary, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, also went through unopposed and will tussle it out with the incumbent MP, Mr Peter Mutuluuza, who intends to contest as an independent.

Former MPs who went through unopposed include Ignatius Besisira (Buyaga West) and Ofwono Apollo Yeri (Tororo Municipality). The women that went through unopposed are Kadaga, Rosemary Nauwat (Amudat), Rehema Muhindo (Kasese), Margaret Aleper, (kotido), Jaquiline Amongin (Ngora) and Hellen Adoa (Serere).

Those unopposed for the LC5seats include Ojur Franco (Alebtong), Ogang Charles (Apac), Sebastian Kereere (Buhweju), Mathias Kigongo(Buikwe), Walter Ochora (Gulu), William Onyanga (Lira,Joseph Kalungi (Masaka) and George Egunyu (Soroti).

SEE LIST OF NRM CANDIDATES