Locals raid NRM office, hold registrar hostage
NRM supporters raid the party offices in Iganga District on Wednesday. PHOTO BY YAZID YOLISIGIRA
What you need to know:
Cause. NRM supporters raided the Iganga party offices a day after a supporter was arrested on suspicion that he was trying to sell 1,000 party membership cards to aspiring candidates in the NRM primaries
IGANGA.
Commotion ensued in Iganga Town on Wednesday when supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) stormed the district party offices and held captive the district party registrar, Mr Yazid Kirunda, and the administrative officer, Mr Tonny Nabala, for several hours.
The NRM supporters raided the offices a day after a supporter, Mr Eriakesi Mbatya, was arrested on suspicion that he was trying to sell 1,000 party membership cards to aspiring candidates in the NRM primaries.
Mr Mbatya was accused of stealing the cards from the party office. The cards were recovered from his home in Nampirika village in Nakalama Sub-county by the chairman of the NRM electoral commission (EC), Dr Tanga Odoi, on Tuesday.
The angry NRM supporters claimed Mr Kirunda and Mr Nabala had colluded with Mr Mbatya to steal the cards.
They accused Mr Kirunda and Mr Nabala of mismanaging the ongoing registration of party members in the district.
“We want them out. They are giving out cards to those who will vote in their interests and we shall not look on as they mess up the party,” one protester charged.
The group defied police calls for calm and besieged the party’s offices. They dragged Mr Kirunda to the office of the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Ramathan Walugembe, where an abrupt meeting was held to resolve the impasse.
It was resolved that Mr Mbatya be suspended pending a decision by the NRM Secretariat.
“I have reported the matter to the secretary general and the chairman of the electoral commission, who have promised to come and solve these issues,” Mr Walugembe told Saturday Monitor soon after the meeting.
Mr Nabala and Mr Kirunda denied the accusations of collusion in the cards saga and working for former prime minister Amama Mbabazi who has since fallen out with President Museveni and is believed to be preparing his candidature for the 2016 presidential election.
“I believe no one is working under the influence of Mr Mbabazi as they are alleging. But if there is anyone doing so, the truth will come out,” Mr Kirunda said.
