Kanungu councillors clash over Museveni, Mbabazi candidature

Councillor Frank Byaruhanga (standing) speaks during a session at Kanungu District council on Wednesday. PHOTO BY RAJAB MUKOMBOZI

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Grievance. They say a group claiming to have been sent by the President is using bribery, intimidation and falsehoods against their colleagues in the council

KANUNGU.
Kanungu District Council has resolved to seek audience with President Museveni over internal divisions.
The councillors on Wednesday said there is polarisation between factions supporting Mr Museveni and former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, a presidential aspirant, who hails from the district.

They said a group claiming to have been sent by the President is using bribery, intimidation and falsehoods against their colleagues in the council.

“There is a group here distributing money, claiming they have been sent by President Museveni to facilitate a political camp that Museveni wants. They have divided the residents, leaders and we are saying the party chairman should intervene as soon as possible,” said Mr Frank Byaruhanga, the district secretary for social services.

He added that the divisions started when Mr Mbabazi declared his intentions to stand for president. “People should not be victimised because Mbabazi comes from here. Like any Ugandan, he is free to contest and he has support because he is born here. Museveni also has support and this should not divide us,” Mr Byaruhanga said.

Mr James Kaberuka, the councillor for Kihihi Town Council, said: “We want the chairperson of the party, President Museveni, to explain to us the allegations on the political lineage he wants in Kanungu. If it is true that is what he is doing, then why did we pay our money to contest for NRM posts? They should tell us where we should go.”

Efforts by the district speaker, Mr Charles Besesya, to stop the councillors from discussing issue of the divisions fell on deaf ears and the councillors turned rowdy. Mr Besesya had advised them that the matter be handled at another forum of the party, not in the council.

“Mr Speaker, we are talking about development and without unity you are not talking about development. This issue of division takes precedence,” Mr Byaruhanga insisted.

The district chairperson, who doubles as the NRM district chairperson, Ms Josephine Kasya, admitted divisions among the councillors but advised that they first meet before going to the President, which the councillors rejected.

“Even we the council are divided, we need a senior official from the NRM to intervene if harmony is to prevail in Kanungu District,” said councillor Jacinta Kataba.

The councillors resolved to invite the President Museveni to sort out the impasse “as soon as possible.”