Lazy NRM secretariat leaders nearly cost the party - Museveni

Above: Some of the medal recipients pose with President Museveni during the 29th NRM Liberation Day celebrations in Soroti yesterday. Photo by PPU

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Assurance. The President says the young people he recently appointed in different positions will correct mistakes of the past leaders.

Soroti. President Museveni has criticised former office holders at the NRM party secretariat for exhibiting “laziness” that was beginning to cost the ruling party.
In a veiled swipe at former NRM secretary general Amama Mbabazi, the President said the young people he recently appointed would reap more dividends for the party, citing the just concluded by-election in Busia District where it registered victory.
“The results of your decision are already here, the other day we won a by-election in Busia. It had become a pattern for NRM to lose because the Opposition was rigging assisted by some elements in the Electoral Commission (EC). But they were stealing votes for someone who was absent,” he said.
Mr Museveni, who was yesterday speaking during the 29th NRM Liberation Day celebrations at Soroti’s Boma Grounds, also thanked the NRM’s National Conference, the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Central Executive Committee (CEC) for solving what he described as the ‘NRM problem’.

‘Laziness in the party’
Mr Museveni, who is the chairman of NRM, noted that there had been laziness in the party which took power in 1986. “The problem was our secretariat had not been organised because we had committed one mistake of having people who were not full-time unlike when we were in the bush,” he said.
“Nobody was there to guard the votes like in Amuru where the Opposition deliberately removed the names of the women because they knew they are NRM supporters. Ugandans are very clever people and can see who is telling lies or the truth,” he added.
The party’s secretariat was until recently headed by Mr Mbabazi who, at the time was also prime minister and legislator for Kinkiizi West.
Mr Museveni, however, said the party was still strong. “We have been having some laziness, but the NRM party is strong because it has solved many of our problems. Lawlessness in Karamoja had gone on for more than 120 years; even in the time of the British, there was lawlessness but NRM has solved that. Who can compete for credit with NRM when it comes to security?”
He said when they came from the bush, they had a National Political Commissar who was always on party issues although even these had a problem of having a constituency.

‘Government of children’
“We now have a government of children. Lumumba (NRM Secretary General) was in Primary Six when the NRM came to power while Rose Namayanja’s (party treasurer) first job was to sell pancakes to NRM guerrillas, Dr Kenneth Omona (deputy treasurer) was still in nursery, Richard Todwong (deputy secretary general) in Primary Six. Only Tanga Odoi (NRM electoral chair) was a bit older in his 2nd year at university,” President Museveni said, as he introduced the new NRM leaders to the audience.
President Museveni said the biggest problem in NRM was quarrels among the members and thanked Ms Lumumba for reconciling the warring factions in Busia District, which could have cost the party the post.
“The party is going to be strong and implement our poverty eradication programme in rural and urban areas. We are going to mobilise people in all the 57,000 villages in Uganda. NRM is going back to Luweero where it had direct contact with the people politically and economically.”

Lost cattle
President Museveni commented on the issue of cattle restocking in the Teso sub-region but avoided any mention on the Mukura massacre where more than 300 men are alleged to have been rounded up and killed by the 106th Battalion of the National Resistance Army (NRA) on July 11, 1989.
“It is not very easy to know which cows were eaten by rebels, the Karimojong or the government forces. The Attorney General delayed to verify in the case of Teso but they will do it. I have written to them to do it,” the President said.
“The most important thing is you (people of Teso sub-region) to get the cows whether it is as compensation or through restocking or Naads. It doesn’t matter where you get it from. Even if civil servants keep delaying that, once the soldiers finish what I sent them to do, they will embark on it. Civil servants work Kipakasi (hired hands) while UPDF work like owners of the sheep.”
Mr Museveni also attacked Ms Alice Alaso, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party secretary general, for taking credit of government programmes where she has no contribution.
“Some of these people have no shame. If you are to tell lies, they should at least be reasonable. I have heard my daughter Alaso, who I have never met, claiming to have extended power lines in Serere. When we were planning to take those power lines, she was not there,” the President said.

Medals
A total of 371 people were awarded with medals for their contribution in the liberation of Uganda. The three-category awards ceremony saw 132 people awarded with the Nalubaale Medal. According to Gen Elly Tumwine, the medal is given to all civilian activists who have contributed to the political development of Uganda either through armed struggle or civil disobedience. In addition, 187 people were awarded with the Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary Medal, an award for those who contributed to the independence struggle of Uganda between October 9, 1962 and October 9, 2012. These included journalists, army officers and sports personalities, among others.
Lastly, 71 people received the Police Force Medal, an award for high profile persons for their exemplary service and their effort in transforming the Force, among others.
Among these included Dr Ruhakana Rugunda (Prime Minister), Gen Kahinda Otafire (Justice minister), Dr Crispus Kiyonga (Defence minister) and Prof Kirunda Kivejinja. Others were Gen Edward Katumba Wamala (Chief of Defence Forces), Mr Charles Oboth Ofumbi and Mr John Kisembo, among others, who were decorated with Exemplary Service Order Class One Award.
A group of youth from Teso sub-region handed Mr Museveni a shield, spear and a traditional stool as a symbol of authority and trust in his (Museveni’s) leadership. They also endorsed him for the 2016 elections.