MPs meet blows, demands for cash as they market Museveni

Countrywide.

As MPs continue to market President Museveni as NRM’s sole presidential candidate for the 2016 elections, party members across the country have received the campaign differently.

Some NRM members have out rightly asked MPs to give them cash, while others have dismissed the sole candidacy campaign, saying if endorsed, it will be a blow to democracy.

However, in some districts, NRM members have backed the resolution.

Blows in Lwengo
In Lwengo, supporters of the district Woman MP Gertrude Nakabira exchanged blows at Kisekka Sub-county headquarters with those of the NRM district chairman Mr Muyanja Mbabaali.

Supporters of Ms Nakabira together with those of Bukoto Mid-West MP Isaac Ssejjoba accused Mr Mbabaali and his group of gate-crushing the meeting convened to market Museveni’s sole candidacy.
This angered Mr Mbabaali, who accused Ms Nakabira of blackmail and putting her interest above the party.
Both Ms Nakabira and Mr Mbabaali have expressed interest in standing as parliamentary candidates in Bukoto South in 2016.

Teargas in Bugiri
In Bugiri District, police fired bullets and teargas to disperse members who were fighting for Shs4 million that had been handed to Pastor Simon Lukoye, the political assistant to Bukoooli North MP Stephen Baka Mugabi.
Whereas the money had been budgeted to cater for 150 people, Pastor Lukoye was surprised as more than 300 people mobbed him to get a share of the cash.

Police officers commanded by Mr Godfrey Musimami, the Bugiri District operations officer, intervened to stop the melee.

In Namayingo District, delegates led by NRM district secretary for finance Livingstone Ozombo told a meeting convened by Namayingo District MP Margaret Makokha Namakangala, at Buswale Sub-county headquarters that Mr Museveni had failed to fight corruption, alleviate poverty and fulfill many of his promises to Namayingo.

However, in Bushenyi District, party members endorsing Mr Museveni’s sole candidature.
“We want Mr Museveni to further the unity in the party. NRM is what it because of his good leadership. He still has the energy to lead this country,” Ms Mary Karooro Okurut, the District Woman MP and Gender minister, said at Bushenyi Multipurpose Hall on Tuesday.

Igara West MP Rapheal Magyezi asked the people of Bushenyi not to disappoint the nation by voting for the opposition.
Similarly, Mr Museveni was endorsed in Kiruhura District where he has a country home.

The unanimous support was reached during a meeting held at Kazo Sub-county headquarters organised by area MP John Nasasira.
“I do not see anything wrong with saying that instead of competing [internally] in the party, let us front one candidate to contest against the other candidates.”

By Issa Aliga, Asuman Musobya, Solomon Atuhairwe, Paul Aruho and Simon Peter Emwamu.

disagreements in katakwi
June 2010. In Katakwi the NRM district youth chairperson, Mr Robert Akabwai accused those selling President Museveni’s sole candidature of hijacking the fundamental doctrines of democracy. He said a sober party decision can only be reached in a national assembly and not by a group of people locked up in a hotel. But youth MP for eastern region Peter Ogwang, who convened the meeting, said among all members of NRM, “it is only Mr Museveni who is fit to lead the party”. Mr Joseph Okello, an NRM youth who quit the meeting, wondered what kind of legacy his party is building.